New Start
by Didi
Summary: It's a whole new beginning for a couple of former Rangers as they jump start some old friendships. And so we reach the end of this fan fic. Chapter 50 is up and running! Plus, I added an epilogue! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
1. Changing Locations

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times. I may change it to NC-17 if I feel the need to write some. So you've all been warned. I promise to give plenty of warning before I do so.  
  
Acknowledgements: To Gemini (Shawn) who has been a great friend and read my stuff. To Eliza, who encourage me to vent through really bad writing. And to my darling Josh, who is always there to help me out.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter One  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 21, 2004  
Kilgerman and Helms Law Firm  
256 North 57th Street, Suite 856  
New York, New York  
  
The phone broke the calm of the night.  
  
She picked up reluctantly. "Hello, Trini Kwan."  
  
"Trini, it's Kim."  
  
"Hey, girl. You're up late."  
  
"I know. I wanted you to know that everything went through. By next week, I'll be in New York."   
  
"That's great!" Trini put down the files in her hand. "So I guess you'll be taking the other room in my condo, huh?"  
  
"If you don't mind."  
  
"I would love to have you at my place. It's been lonely since my roommate got married." Trini smiled rather wistfully. "It would be nice to have an actual person to talk to at night. If I keep talking to that cat Mimi left behind, I'll go completely nuts."  
  
"You sure you don't mind?"  
  
"As long as you help with the mortgage, why would I mind?"  
  
Kimberly laughed. "Thank, pal. I really appreciate it."  
  
"Not a prob."  
  
"What are you doing still in the office this late?"  
  
"Finishing a brief. I've got to go to court tomorrow on a case. My last one with this firm. I start the new job in a week." She sighed and rested her head against her palm. "It's going to be a terrible three days."  
  
"Call me if you need me." Kim sighed. "Oh and congratulations on the new job. Less stress for you over all with equal pay. You take care of yourself, you hear me?"  
  
"I will, thanks."  
  
"I'll talk to you later?"  
  
"You bet. Can't wait for you to get up here." She grinned just thinking of all the trouble they can get into here in the big apple.   
  
"Me either. It's going to be a new start for me."  
  
"You bet. For both of us."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 23, 2004  
Hartman Architectural  
85 Washington Ave. Suite 256  
Chicago, Illinois  
  
The phone broke through his haze of concentration. This was the last stage of the blueprints. Tomorrow would be his last day and he would be on his way to a new life. "Jason Scott."  
  
"Hey ya, Jase."  
  
Jason frowned into the phone receiver not quite believing this ears. "Adam?"  
  
"That's Dr. Park to you." His laughing tone spoke volumes on his happiness in having reached his old friend on the phone. "How are you man?"  
  
"Geeze, it's good to hear from you again. I'm doing great. Where are you?" Jason put his blue tracer down and leaned back against his chair, feeling all the muscles across his back scream over the abuse they've taken as he sat hunched over his drawing board.  
  
"I'm in Dallas Texas if you can believe it."   
  
"What in the world are you doing in the beef country?"  
  
"Finishing my internship. I got a nice little residency in a very great place." Adam replied cryptically. "How are things with you?"  
  
"Don't change the subject. Where are you doing your residency?" Jason asked as he glanced at the clock. It was almost ten in the evening.  
  
"New York County Hospital." Adam said with a grin big enough to split his face in half. "I found out this morning and immediately thought about you."  
  
"Aww..... That's so sweet!" His voice practically dripped with sarcasm. "This won't having anything to do with the fact that I just bought a house in Jersey near the boarder would it?"  
  
"Jason, you wound me!"  
  
"That's okay, you're a doctor, heal yourself." Jason said with a laugh. "Of course I would love to have you move in with me. That house is big enough to fit you, me and four other people. I was going to put up some posts for housemates once I get settled in."  
  
"That's great." Adam said with much enthusiasm. "Easy commute to the city and far enough to get away from the crowds. Why did you buy a house that big anyways?"  
  
"I couldn't resist." Jason grinned. "It was gorgeous. Turn of the century architecture with hand carved wood paneling and long plank.... Well, you'll understand when you see it."  
  
"I'm sure I'm going to love it. Thanks again." Adam said gratefully. "I wasn't exactly looking forward to trying to find a place out there by myself. Especially since they're going to be paying me in peanuts for the first year."  
  
"Don't worry about it. The trust fund my grandfather set up for me pretty much paid off the whole thing."  
  
"How are you charging rent anyways?"  
  
"We'll discuss it when you've seen the place." Jason glanced at his watch again. "Okay, I have to finish a project before my big move on Friday. I'll e-mail you the information on how to get there. When are you expected to start?"  
  
"In three weeks."  
  
"Well, you'll be settled by then. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"You bet. Thanks again, Jase."  
  
"Not a problem."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 24, 2004  
Whitman and Jones Inc.  
56 Madison Ave. #56  
Beverly Hills, California  
  
"You sure you don't mind the move, Tommy?" Whitman liked the young man that worked for their office over the past four years. He trusted the man with his life, which so happens to be this company. "It's big move."  
  
"I don't mind sir." Tommy's smile could have lit the Kennedy Center lights. "I think a little change in scenery would be good for me."  
  
"The New York office is three times bigger than this one. Walter Jones and I started over there before we moved a branch to the West Coast. I really hope you life it there. It's closer to Wall Street."  
  
"I'm sure I will."   
  
"Good then."  
  
Tommy Oliver made his way back to his desk and grabbed the phone. The promotion had come unexpected but it was definitely a good one. Since his break up with Kat after she accepted a position back in Australia, he's been rather down in the dumps as of late. A little change in the scenery was just want he needed. Los Angeles had too many images of Kat and every other failed relationship he's had over the past few years.   
  
"Jason Scott's office? How can I help you?" Tommy frowned at the phone not quite believing the strange cheery chirpy tone of the secretary. He didn't think a voice like that existed outside of a bad 50's movie.  
  
"Um... Mr. Scott please."  
  
"May I ask who is calling?"  
  
"Tell him it's Tommy from California."  
  
"Hold please."  
  
Tommy drummed his fingers on the top of his desk slowly and methodically. This move was good. New York was a big bright shinny city with lots of places for him to see. Plus the bonus is that his best friends will also be there to keep him out of trouble, or help him get into them.   
  
"Tommy?"  
  
"Hey buddy, what's shaking?"  
  
"Not much." Jason grinned into the phone was he continued to pack his stuff away. After three hears in the office, he's accumulated quite a bit of juke. In fact, enough o fill six books so far and he's only half way done. "What's new with you?"  
  
"A big promotion."  
  
"Really? Congratulations."  
  
"Thanks. Actually, that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"The promotion had a huge cable attached to it."  
  
"Oh, oh. It didn't require you to marry and have a dozen kids does it?"  
  
Tommy laughed, he could always count on a conversation with Jason to make his day. "Nothing that dramatic. I'm being moved to the main office, in New York City."  
  
"Really?" Jason said the word in an amused and drawn out way. "So you're moving East too huh? Looks like I'll have two housemates then."  
  
"Hold it! Who else have you contacted?"  
  
"You mean who else contacted me," Jason stopped putting the stack of files away and leaned against his desk. "Adam called with news of his residency being in New York County General. Needed a place to stay and yours truly just happen to now own a turn of the century Victorian style house with three floors and insulation that is to die for."  
  
"Only you and can talk about houses the way other men talk about women and cars."  
  
"Hey, whatever floats your boat."  
  
"You said it. So you up for another former ranger crashing at your pad and pitching in for the mortgage?"   
  
"Hey, you want to pay rent, that's great. But you know me, we're brothers, I let you stay for free as long as you like."  
  
"Thanks man, but I want to pay my way. Besides, this job is pays nicely enough."  
  
"Shall we make one of the room a very nice practice arena?"  
  
"Basement, man. We need to change the basement to a workout room."  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"With a bar."  
  
"Fully stocked with the best there is." Jason grinned deviously into the phone. "Though Dr. Adam might object to that."  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
"It's a whole new beginning for all of us."  
  
"A new start." Tommy agreed readily. "I need a new start.  
  
"Me too."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 25, 2004  
William Cranston's Resident  
357 Wilshire Blvd. #3D  
St. Louis, Missouri  
  
Billy stared at the screen before him and frowned. The new algorithms were not compatible with the old database problems, which would explain the malfunctions the company had. Any good hacker worth his salt can get into the system. God help me from people that don't update their system every five year to keep the vandals out.  
  
The phone was an annoying buzz in his otherwise quiet morning. "Hello."  
  
"Billy, my man." Rocky's voice sounded just a little too cheerful for Billy's slightly boggled down mind. "What's happening mis amigo?"  
  
"Not much except I'm about to do bodily harm to a man in Detroit who won't know one end of the computer from his rear end." Billy sighed and took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "You know, when I signed on for this little job, I didn't realize just how big of an idiot some of these people in this company are."  
  
"Sounds like you're having the time of your life."  
  
"Yeah, pretty much. What can I do for you, Rocky?"  
  
"I thought you would like to know that I'm moving house."  
  
"Really?" that took Billy by surprise. "Leaving Angel Grove at last?"  
  
"Yeah, time to fly away from my nosy meddling family."  
  
Billy grinned at the computer. "Let me guess, your mother set you up on another blind date with a very nice girl."  
  
"With braces no less." Rocky put his head in his free hand and sighed. "Love my family but it's time to get away from them."  
  
The every sympathetic Billy laughed his ass off. "Come stay with me for a while."  
  
"St. Louis, no thanks. I was thinking of something a little more crowded and happy."  
  
"I will have you know that St. Louis is a very happy city."  
  
"Ever thought about relocating?"  
  
Billy frowned and leaned on his elbow. "What are you getting at, Rocko?"  
  
"Ever thought about a little reunion with the old rangers?"  
  
"Rocky..."  
  
"Adam is moving in with Jason in New Jersey. Adam's got a residency in a New York Hospital. The architectural company of Miller and Hoffman hired Jason. He starts in a couple of weeks. Tommy just got a promotion that puts him in the middle of Wall Street. He's got to have a place near New York and is taking a room with Jason as well. My editor says that he needs a reporter in New York, job is mine if I want it. I was about to call Jason when I thought of you. You're a freelance computer consultant. You can work out of anywhere. What do you say?"  
  
Billy blinked. "I never really thought about it." The possibilities are there. He's lease comes up for renewal next this month. He's not hard up on money or job. The plus would be that he would get to see his friends again. It's been a long while, even before his little space trip.   
  
"Well think about it now."  
  
"How about you let me get back to you all?"  
  
"Sure man. But really consider it. I think it could be fun. I know that you're not the impulsive type, but this could be a chance of a lifetime. It's been a long while since we've all been together."  
  
"I know." The prospect was an exciting one.  
  
"Well, just consider it. I'll talk to you later. I still have to call Jason to let him know that he's got one more on the way."  
  
Billy smiled. "Jason would love the idea."  
  
"He'd like it even more if he's oldest friend was there too."  
  
"We'll see."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 25, 2004  
Hartman Architectural  
85 Washington Ave. Suite 256  
Chicago, Illinois  
  
Jason moved the last of his boxes to the door and looked over at the guys that were waiting to help him load it all into his SUV downstairs. "Thanks guys, I really appreciate this."  
  
"Are you sure we can't talk you out of this move? Who's going to play center forward in our weekly basketball games now?" Jake gave Jason his sweetest puppy dog look that usually worked on all the women in the office. "Come on..."  
  
"You know," Jason said with a rather interesting grin on his face. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were trying to seduce me there."  
  
The others laughed and patted Jake on the back.   
  
"Seriously guys," Jason said with a rather wistful smile. "I'm going to miss you all a lot. After all, without you, who would there to make me look so good?"  
  
There was another round of laughs before they said their goodbyes. Jason stood there in his now emptied office. He's had three good years there. Lots of things have been accomplished here, many projects that he was more than proud of. Now it was time to move on, make another start with some old friends. It was a good move for him. It was a good way to begin again.  
  
The phone sitting on the empty desk rang just as Jason was about to shut the door. Frowning at it, he considered not answering it since he now officially quit. But on the other hand, not all his acquaintances knew about the move yet.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Jason?" Billy's voice was unsure.  
  
"Billy, my man." Jason sat down on the desk. "God it's good to hear your voice again. What's up man?"  
  
"Heard you were moving even further east soon."  
  
"Who told you?"  
  
"Rocky."  
  
"How did..."  
  
"Adam."  
  
"Oh." Jason smiled and found this rather amusing. He had lost connection to some of the others over the years, especially after the whole Gold Power episode in his life. Heck, of the old gang he only kept in touch with Tommy and Adam. He knew vaguely that Rocky was a reporter of the Newsweekly and that Billy was an independent computer consultant. Aisha and Tanya were doing something in Africa and Kat was back in Australia after her breakup with Tommy. Zack was still in Europe, doing what he had no idea. Trini and Kim, he'd completely lost track of. Wherever they are, Jason was sure his old friends were all doing well. "What's going on?"  
  
"Rocky call you yet?"  
  
"No, I haven't heard from him. Why?"  
  
"Heard Adam and Tommy was moving in with you in Jersey."  
  
"Yup, great big house needs little old me to fill it. I've still got room for two more if you want in on this?" Jason grinned with amusement.  
  
"I just might take you up on that." Billy said seriously. "Rocky and I were actually talking about it. How strange is it that Rocky just got offered a position in the New York branch of the Newsweekly and my lease is up for renewal?"  
  
"Whoa.... Weird." Jason was rather thrown by that little twist of fate.  
  
"Yeah, that's what I thought after a very long night." Billy shook his head. "So...you really got room for two more?"  
  
"Absolutely." Jason laughed with cheer. "Oh my god, this is so funny."  
  
"And ironic."  
  
"Very."  
  
"So...."  
  
"So move in with us you big nerd!"  
  
Billy laughed. "You said it not me. Don't say that I didn't warn you. This could get pretty crazy."  
  
"Yeah, but also a whole lot of fun."  
  
"Are we all beginning anew?"  
  
"A whole new start."  
*******************  
I hope you guys are enjoying this. I know it is a little slow, but I promise to pick things up by chapter three.   



	2. Moving Along

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times. I may change it to NC-17 if I feel the need to write some. So you've all been warned. I promise to give plenty of warning before I do so.  
  
Acknowledgements: To Gemini (Shawn) who has been a great friend and read my stuff. To Eliza, who encourage me to vent through really bad writing. And to my darling Josh, who is always there to help me out.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Two  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Trini Kwan's Condo  
June 25, 2004  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Welcome. You've got mail."  
  
Trini grinned as she always did when the welcome greeting came on from her AOL account. It always amused her to no end when her computer talks to her. After all she talks to it enough for both of them. There were sixty-four new e-mails in her account. This is what happens when you ignore one particular account for a certain amount of time, four months to be exact.   
  
With a sigh, she went on to delete anything that had to do with porn, self-help, diets, and dumb pyramid investments. The last one caught her eyes though. The address was vaguely familiar but not one that stood up as vividly as some of the others, like Kimberly's. Out of curiosity, she opened the e-mail that was simply subjected 'Update.'  
  
"Hey guys, this is a mass e-mail to every address in my e-mail address folder no matter how old and out dated it is. I'm probably going to get half of these things back telling me that the account no longer exists. But hey, at least I tried.   
  
I'm writing to tell everyone that I've moved and will no longer be in Chicago. My new address, located in New Jersey will take effect on Sunday the 27th when I arrive in my very wonderful Victorian house that I got at a steal. People just can't appreciate the fine architectural style and efforts of turn of the century houses. Anyways....  
  
This e-mail address will stay in effect so you can reach me here if need me. Just thought you might want to update that address book I'm sure you all keep. Okay, keep in touch guys.  
  
Your pal,  
Jason Lee Scott  
  
PS. Oh I almost forgot, here's my new address.  
  
Jason Lee Scott  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, NJ 08816   
  
PPS. One last thing, I've got roommates moving starting next Monday. So if you plan on sending me naked women in giant cakes, do it before Monday morning okay? Thanks.  
  
PPPS. Mom, Dad, Grandma, you can ignore that last part. It was just a joke."  
  
Trini sat there laughing for a good five minutes before she could draw enough breath to think clearly. The boy was moving barely three blocks away and doesn't even know it. Oh god, Jason was going to be barely a mile away. She hadn't heard from him since he left the Switzerland conference all though years ago. It was like a strange story out of a bad soap opera. Oh lord, he'd be here in two days.  
  
A grin suddenly bloomed on Trini's face. Jason is going to be here in two day. And how should I welcome him?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Kimberly Hart's Apartment  
June 25, 2004  
421 Golden Lake Lane #3C  
Tampa, Florida  
  
"But why do you have to go?" Janice Walker looked at her friend with disbelief. "Who's going to vet the guys at the club for me now?"  
  
"Janice!" Kimberly laughed as she packed up her meager belongings. She realized as she started to pack that she really didn't have a lot of things here even enough she's lived here for almost two years. A part of her probably knew that she won't be staying here, this place never felt like home. "When one accepts a new job, one has to move to where the job is."  
  
"If I knew that your job would take you to New York I would never have encourage you to take it." Janice pouted as she sat down on Kimberly's frilly pink comforter. She frowned at the very girly décor. "Okay, I never understood why you picked such little girl colors for your place? I mean, you don't even wear pink."  
  
"I know," Kimberly glanced her around the room with a smile. "Let's just say that pink has a very special meaning for me as a teen. And I guess that I wanted to keep a little of that."  
  
Frowning with confusion, Janice merely shook her head and let it go. "You will write lots and call when you need to right?"  
  
"You know that I will." Kimberly and Janice had gotten to be such good friends over the past two years. They were almost as close as Trini and Kimberly had once been. "And you'll come visit me when the summer heat gets too much for you."  
  
"Vogue is lucky to have you writing for them." Janice commented as she began to start packing Kimberly's stuff up for her. "It was a real coup for them."  
  
"Don't you mean that it was a real coup for me?" Kimberly folded a gossamer pink dress with a rather special significance to it away lovingly. "I couldn't have asked for a better job then to do the fashion write up for Vogue magazine."  
  
"I know but still, they are lucky to have someone that actually understand clothes to be writing for them. Hey, you don't plan on giving up your fashion design do you?"  
  
"No, but it's always been a hobby." Kimberly looked over at her writing desk with the thousands of sketches she had done over the years. "And it'll remain so for a while longer."  
  
Janice sighed. "You and your priorities."  
  
"Keeps food on the table."   
  
"Yeah but it's not as fun."  
  
"Not all of us can make a living doing what we love the most darling, only a few lucky individuals can do that. And I'm just not one of them." She turned. "Hey, since I don't leave until Tuesday, why don't we indulge in ice cream and a sappy girly movie tonight?"  
  
"You don't have to ask me twice."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 26, 2004  
Tommy Oliver's Apartment  
68 Sunset Ave. #2E  
Los Angeles, California  
  
"Darling, are you sure this is wise?" The concern in Karen Oliver's voice came through the speaker phone loud and clear. "You don't know anyone out there and you'll be all alone in a strange big city."  
  
"Mom," Tommy shook his head at the phone as if his mother could see. "I told you and I'll be living with Jason and Adam, you remember them right?"  
  
"Jason? From your high school days? The one that went to that Peace Conference?"  
  
"Yeah, you remember him. My best friend." Tommy grinned as he packed up the more fragile stuff that will be going in with his cloths. A crystal vase from his grandmother for his college graduation, why his grandmother thought he would need it was beyond him. A glass statue of Aphrodite, a rather beautiful gift given to him by Rocky as a joke to piss Kat off while they were still living together. Several shot glasses from different location from his world traveling friends that were sent to him so years back. A beautiful crystal picture frame with his family portrait in it, he had a feeling that he was going to want that one around for some time to come. And several more glass frames of his friends over the years. "I won't be alone."  
  
"But they are all moving there now right? You guys will be completely by yourselves with on one to take care of you."  
  
"Mom, we're hardly children anymore."  
  
"You will always be my little boy."  
  
"MOM!" Tommy shook his head. "We're going to be fine."   
  
"You will write?"  
  
"I'll call."  
  
"Promise me?"  
  
"I love you mom."  
  
"I love you too darling." There was a couple of sniffs. "Come out for Sunday dinner."  
  
Tommy frowned for a moment. Angel Grove was a three-hour drive from Los Angeles and he still had to take care of the shipping arrangements. But his mother seemed so sad. "Sure Mom, I'd like that."  
  
"Okay, I'll make sure to click your favorite chicken and have ice cream and root beer. You use to love root beer floats when you were click boy."   
  
"Mom, I think someone is trying to get in."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Someone is on call waiting."  
  
"Oh, well I'll let you go then. Don't forget about Sunday!"  
  
"I won't. Bye mom." Tommy touched the flash button. "Hello?"  
  
"Tommy?"   
  
"Billy?" Tommy moved closer to the phone as if it would help him recognize the voice better. "Billy Cranston?"  
  
"That's me." Billy grinned.   
  
"Man, what's up?"  
  
"Relocating."  
  
"You too." Tommy laughed. "Seems to be the thing these days."  
  
"You should know since you guys inspired me."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I'm moving in with Jason at Rocky's suggestion.'  
  
Tommy stared at the phone. "You're kidding." Then he burst out laughing.   
  
"Yeah, that was kind of the reaction I got from Adam and Jason too." Billy sat there patiently listening to the uncontrolled laugher from the other side of the phone line. "Are you done?"  
  
"Not really," the former white ranger sat up from where he had fallen he laughed so hard. "Oh man, this is going to be so wild."  
  
"You're telling me. But from what I can tell, things should be very interesting." Billy sat down and leaned back against his chair and decided not to tell Tommy about his most recent conversation with Trini, which involved a certain former pink ranger that broke the poor guy's heart. His little retribution for the laugher he had to endure doing the course of the day.  
  
"So, when do you get in?"   
  
"Not until Wednesday. I've had less time to prepare than you all. Plus, I still have an apartment to take care of. You?"  
  
"Tuesday."  
  
"Okay, I'll see you in Jersey then."  
  
"You bet."  
  
"Talk to you later."  
  
"Later my man. And this is going to be a whole lot of fun."  
  
"More fun than probably you can handle, Tommy my boy."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Trust me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
June 27, 2001  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason cursed again as he dropped yet another box on his foot. That would make it the third time in the last fifteen minutes. At the rate he was going, he'd be crippled in the next hour or two. Trying to move alone was such a bad idea. He didn't remember getting his apartment in Chicago to have been this difficult. Of course, he didn't have to furnish too many rooms to count either.   
  
He found that his belongings from Chicago were but a speck of what he needed for the six-room mammoth he has saddled himself with. His king-size canopied bed, a luxury his mother insisted upon, filled the main bedroom along with his matching dresser, nightstand, and wardrobe. His clothes had all been unpacked and ready. Kitchen utensils had been his mother's idea. He now owned more kitchenware than he knew what to do with, include crystal glasses, decanters, and a thousand different forks that he couldn't tell apart. The large screen television and stereo system had been a gift from his uncle in London, who worked for Sony's development department. It was incredible as well as expensive.   
  
On top of it all, he had purchased five full-sized bed, matching bedroom necessities, and a dinning room set that his grandmother found exquisite. His living room was all oak wood and glass, beautiful and looked to be untouched. Heck, he was afraid to sit on the antique Victorian living set that came with the house. He had added the glass coffee table to a touch of modernism to the room with its semi-ancient wall mounted light fixtures. Those are going to be updated the minute he gets a chance. He had admitted though, the soft beige color carpet gave the room more lightness than any halogen lamp can.   
  
The place came with a library equipped with some books that looked to be older than the century old house. Jason had added to those his collection of mystery novels and textbooks on architecture from his college days. He hoped that the others would provide some more lively books other than Moby Dick and Tales of Two Cities. The grand redwood table took up the middle of the room between the two rolls of bookshelves. Jason had positioned his drawing board next to the window for more light, along with that he placed his favorite recliner there as well to relaxation. The guys would like that little comfort in this grand library, a five-year-old leather recliner with duct tape holding one arm together.   
  
The doorbell interrupted his musing as he stood there rather stupidly looking at a pile of boxed that were all labeled housewarming presents. Probably from the hundreds of family he had scattered across the globe.   
  
Walking to the double oak door, Jason realized that there was no peek hole for him to look through. Though he loathed to damage the beautiful finish of the door, he understood modern practicality. He was rather curious as to who would be there this late in the afternoon. The movers and deliverymen had all come and gone. And there was no one due to arrive for another two days. So who would be at his door.  
  
Pulling the door open slowly, he peeked around the edge to see the back of a woman with black glossy hair that fell to her obviously slender waist. A pair of long, wonderfully shaped legs picked up out a pair of black jeans shorts long enough to be decent but short enough to make it all that much more interesting. "Hello?"  
  
Turning around, the young woman gave Jason the shock of a lifetime.  
  
"Hi. I couldn't find a giant cake with frostings or anyone willing to get into it naked. So how about settling for a homemade triple decker German forest cake and an old friend?"  
  
Jason's arms came around her in an instant. "If that's settling, serve it up to me any day." Laughing, he pulled her into the house so fast that she almost dropped her cake across the wonderfully shinning oak floor of his foyer. "Oh my god, Trini! What are you doing here?"  
  
Trini's twinkling brown eyes laughed at him. "I thought I would come over and make sure you were doing okay on your first day in Jersey."  
  
Jason shook his head and tried to clear things out in his mind. "Trini! Oh god I haven't heard from you since.... since way too long."  
  
"I could say the same of you. Did you know that the e-mail on your change of address was the first thing I got from you in over three years? If I hadn't checked it out, I won't have known that we were practically neighbors."  
  
Blinking, Jason took the cake from her to the dining room. "You live around here?"  
  
"Three blocks down." She adjusted the soft yellow halter-top she wore for old time sake. "Looks like I'll be seeing you a whole lot more."  
  
"And some of the old gang. Tommy, Billy, Adam and Rocky are all moving in with me." He pulled out a chair for her glad to see her after such a long time. "We all somehow all ended up with promotions, new jobs, transfers into New York. It's weird."  
  
"All of them?" Trini's mind whirled in circles at all the possibilities. Kim's going to have a cow when she finds out that she no more than three blocks away from her ex-boyfriend. My guess is that they won't be ex's for very long at this close proximity. "Oh my god, it's like fate decided that all our lives are forever going to be interlinked in one way or another." She shook her head and looked around at the grand dinning room. "Man, what a place!"  
  
"Yeah," Jason grinned good-naturedly. "Want a tour?"  
  
"Absolutely." She jumped up and held her hand out to her former leader. "Lead the way, fearless one."  
  
Jason took her delicate white hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Why don't we start from the top down?"  
  
Trini gave a snort of amusement. "You just want to show me the bedroom first."  
  
With a wink and a laugh, Jason tugged on her hand. "What better way than to get a beautiful woman into one's bedroom?"  
  
She laughed and followed him up a set of beautiful hand carved banister stairway. Jason showed her every room in the house from the empty sloped ceiling attic to his wonderful master bedroom to the glass china cabinet in his chandeliered dining room. She pointed out suggestions and loved every moment of it as they laughed and joked easily through the whole tour. The old bond was there without effort to recapture it. But beneath it all was the gentle flirtatious nature of both. They were no longer shy young teens but mature and certainly attractive young man and woman.   
  
"And this is the greatest part of the house," Jason said as he led the way to the back of the house. "Looks like it was a gazebo at one point, but someone modernized it about five or six years ago and turned it into a wonderful steam room."  
  
"A stream room?" Trini's eyes went wide with laugher. "Why would anyone need a steam room in the humid weather that Jersey gets all the time?"  
  
"Don't know, but you don't see me complaining." He opened the wood doors to the small gazebo converted steam room with its enclosed walls and hot rock bed at the center. "I'm going to rework some of the old pipe work and add a temperature adjuster."  
  
"You're going to computerize it?" Trini laughed with amusement. "Why don't you turn it back into a gazebo? I think it would be nice."  
  
"I might, but then I would probably want to put in a Jacuzzi if I do so." Jason said with a smile as he lovingly ran a hand over the wood benches that were carefully paced over the cemented that kept the heat in. "What do you think? Steam room or Jacuzzi?"  
  
"Oh," shaking her head at him, she looked over the rock bed. "That's a real toss up for me. I love them both for their different unique reason."  
  
Jason laughed and pulled her into a tight hug, the one he wanted to give her since the first one at he door. "God, I've missed you."  
  
"Me too." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his chest, feeling the hard muscles under her hands ripple and move as he tightened his grip on her, holding her hard enough send an alarming thrill up her spine.   
  
"Want to stay for dinner?" He let go reluctantly and looked at the darkened window. The sun was setting fast on his first day in his new home. "I could really use the company right now."  
  
"I'd like that." There was a twinkle in her eyes. "But do you even have anything in that brand spanking new kitchen on yours?"  
  
"Good point." He grinned. "So, know of any good restaurants around here?"  
  
"Absolutely." She took his hand easily, naturally. Only a little too natural. "How do you feel about pasta?"  
  
"Love them." Jason said with a smile and a squeeze of the hand. "Lead on my dear yellow ranger."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 27, 2004  
Adam Park's Apartment  
1596 Almanino Drive # 2B  
Dallas, Texas  
  
Rocky picked up the third box and found that again it was filled with books big enough to be used a pillows if one wished to abuse one's neck real good. "How many books do you have?"  
  
"Too many." Adam said good-naturally. He hung up the phone reluctantly. "I wonder where Jason is. I've been calling him every half an hour for the past hour but I'm not getting anything at all."  
  
"Maybe he hasn't had time to plug his phone in yet." Rocky said with a shrug. "Give the guy at least a day to get settle into his new digs."  
  
"I was calling his cell phone." Adam explained. "I hope that everything went well."  
  
"I'm sure Jason is fine. He's more than capable of taking care of his needs. Look what he did, found a new job, a great house, and has somehow managed to get roommates without even trying. The gods just love a guy like him. How can they not?"  
  
Adam shook his head. "I can't believe you were able to pack up in less than 24 hours."  
  
"Hey, I've been living out of a bag for the past two years being a journalist. This is the first steady gig in almost three years. I'm finally going to have an address to give people!" Rocky laughed as he picked up the big suitcase on the bed that held most of Adam's clothes. "I'll be nice to have a home to go home to from now on."  
  
"You said it." Adam smiled and picked up another smaller suitcase. "Oh, I wanted to tell you that I heard from Aisha and Tanya, finally!"  
  
"Really?" Rocky paused with his hand still in the suitcase, borrowing a gray shirt from Adam. "What are those two crazy kids up to now?"  
  
Adam laughed. "They're with a tribe in East Africa. Apparently there have been problems with land rights and Aisha is getting ready to take someone's head off over the whole thing. Tanya says that natives are being tricked again and they're going to stay to make sure everything goes well. Looks like the girls will be there for another two or three months."  
  
"You tell them about the move?"  
  
"Yeah, they said that they'd visit when they get back into the states."  
  
"Great, party time!" Rocky laughed.  
******************************************  
Okay, these two were boring but the next one should get the blood pumping. Unfortunately, it's not done yet. Just hang tight and I'll have it out in a couple of days, I promise.  



	3. Tension

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times. I may change it to NC-17 if I feel the need to write some. So you've all been warned. I promise to give plenty of warning before I do so.  
  
Acknowledgments: To Gemini (Shawn) who has been a great friend and read my stuff. To Eliza, who encourage me to vent through really bad writing. And to my darling Josh, who is always there to help me out. Extra moment of thanks to Sarah, my pal, you really know your stuff.  
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Three  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 27, 2001  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay, when you said Italian, you really meant it!" Jason laughed as he unlocked his front door and groped around for the foyer lights. "I couldn't understand half of what the man at the place said. And pretty much had to guess that other half. His accent is thick enough to have to chop through with an axe. Where did you meet him?"  
  
"Juan is from Greece and has owned that restaurant for three years now. I've been going there since I moved to New Jersey, I swear he has kept me fed and healthy these past three years." Trini smiled and reached around him to help find that light switch. "He's a very nice man."  
  
"Who apparently wants to marry his son off to you," Jason laughed and felt his way around the side of the wall, still yet to find that elusive light switch. "He kept glancing at me like I was suppose to help him out with the matchmaking or something." He cursed under his breath as he stubbed his toe against one of the zillion boxes still littering the living room and will probably be there for some time to come. "Where's that light?!?"  
  
"Jason?" Trini's voice came from the darkness, a little closer than he would have expected.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you even have a foyer light?"  
  
There was silence.  
  
"You don't, do you?" Trini's voice held a note of amusement.   
  
"I'm thinking, I'm thinking." Jason racked his brains trying to remember whether or not he remembered seeing one. So far, he's only been here during the daytime. The wonderful glass windows and crystal wall panels had made lights unnecessary.   
  
"Well?"  
  
"You may be right." Jason sighed and dropped his arm from the wall. "I'll have to either install one or get a lamp out there for the entrance. He moved get to the lamp he remember setting down in the living room and bumped body to body with Trini. "Oops, sorry."  
  
"No problem," she backed up a little and her knees came in contract with a heavy object. Trini had to grab onto Jason to keep herself from falling over. "Oops."  
  
"Whoa there," Jason grabbed her by the waist when he felt her stumble. "Careful, this place is full of potential accidents."  
  
Laughing with amusement, Trini moved slowly forward and away from the tripping boxes behind her. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on who's looking at the situation, it brought her up even closer to Jason than before. "Um.... Sorry," when she bumped her hip up against his thigh since he was taller than she was.   
  
"It's quite all right," he pulled her forward, so not to trip her again, but found himself coming up against the wall that he had been groping around on for the past few minutes. "Ooph.."  
  
Trini laughed. "Man, this is getting us no where."  
  
"You're telling me," but he didn't let go of her for fear of a) accidentally stepping on her or b) allow her to trip over other obstacles set in their path. That plus it was rather nice having her all warm against him, it's been some time since he's last been with anyone.  
  
"Is there any light in this house that has been plugged in?" Trini asked rather softly, not quite sure why she was suddenly whispering but felt the need to anyways.   
  
Jason felt panic stricken for a moment. He hadn't plug in the lamp in the living room, merely placed it there cause it looked nice. "I think there's one in my bed.....room." He swallowed hard.  
  
Trini could feel the heat climb up her cheek and felt rather foolish. This was Jason, her childhood friend and former Power Ranger team leader. There's nothing to be nervous about. Yeah right, tell that to the sweaty palms!  
  
"Um...." Jason willed his body not to betray him and ruin a very nice evening with a very old friend. God, please don't let me embarrass myself that way! "Maybe I could find some candles and....." No, you moron! Candles are too romantic for this! "A flashlight would be nice right about now too."  
  
"Can you locate one in the dark?" Trini asked tentatively, hoping that he would forget the candle idea. Way too much sexual heat as it is, the last thing we need now is a romantic candle to add to this mess.  
  
Jason poked around with his toe and realized that there were way too many boxes for him to remember where the flashlights are. "No."  
  
Trini took a deep breath. "Okay, then back to the candle idea. You know where we can find any?"  
  
"Yeah," he cursed himself. "I set out my grandmother's silver candelabra this morning. Even fitted the three white candles in them cause they look.....right." He rolled his eyes at himself and his stupidity, and thank the lord that Trini could seen the redness of his face. How appropriate that I was once the red ranger. "It's in the dining room."  
  
"Can we get to the dining room without killing ourselves in the process?" Trini asked, wanting to get out of the darkness as quickly as possible. These close quarters were too close for comfort. She wanted to go home.  
  
"Yeah, follow me." Jason took her hand and slowly picked his way into the foyer again and toward the dining room where there was more boxes but cleared enough for him to get to the oak table without any incident. "You have any matches?"  
  
"Matches?" Trini frowned in the darkness. "No, but I think I have a lighter."  
  
"Why do you carry a lighter? Not that I'm not grateful at the moment. Thank you." He took the silver inlaid cigarette lighter from her and lit it quickly. "But why would you..."  
  
"I smoked about three years ago. I know, I know, bad habit." Trini answered as she watched her trusty lighter come to life. "It was a short period in my life when law school was beginning to make me insane so I took up smoking to keep from ripping out my hair. I quit three months after I started but kept the lighter. It was a reminder not to smoke anymore."  
  
"Oh." Jason shook his head. He lit the three white tapered candles and turned to his first houseguest. "There!"  
  
Her face lit up in delight. "What a strange night!"  
  
"You said it."  
  
He smiled in reaction and found himself looking at her under the glow of the three lit candles. Way too romantic.   
  
She blushed again and hoped the red glow of the fire could cover it up as much as possible. "Well, I guess I should get going then. It's getting pretty late."  
  
"You're leaving?" He asked in alarm. He was having such a good time that he had forgotten that she didn't live there. "Could you stay a little longer?"  
  
"Well..... I...."  
  
"Please?" He turned those chocolate brown eyes at her and made his silly puppy dog look. "I really don't want to be alone on my first night here."  
  
Trini frowned and hesitated. She wanted to stay but the vibe between them all night has been...weird. "Jason, I'm not too sure if..."  
  
"Just another hour? I'll drive you back afterwards." He put his hands together and pleaded with her. "Please?"  
  
She smiled at him. It was hard for her not to say yes to her former fearless leader. "Oh all right. Another hour then I have to go."  
  
"That's all I ask." He picked up the candelabra. "Why don't we go locate a working lamp?"  
  
"Sounds like loads of fun." Trini giggled and followed carefully into the living room again.   
  
They headed for the lamp that sat alone on top of the coffee table by the side of the around corner sofa. Handing the candles over, Jason got onto his hands and knees to find the plug and socket. After successfully inserting the plug, he looked up. "Okay, let there be light."  
  
Trini turned the switch and heard the click.   
  
Nothing.  
  
"Hum..." Jason scratched his head. "Okay, let's try the other socket."  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"Urh.... Jason?" Trini had a funny look on her face. "Did you remember to tell the electric company when you'd be moving in?"  
  
"Sure." Jason got up slowly, careful not to disturb the candles. "I told them that I was coming in on Sunday the 27th."  
  
"Jason, the electric company may be open everyday, but not their management department. You're probably not going to get electricity until Monday!"   
  
A horrified look crossed Jason's face. It never acquired to him that he won't be getting power until...."You're kidding right?"  
  
"No, I'm not." Trini was having a rather difficult time holding her smile. "Well, at least you have the candles." She turned so that he couldn't see the grin of that threatened to break across her face.  
  
"You think this is funny!" Jason grabbed her around the waist, sending Trini into a peal of laughter. "What am I suppose to do until I get power?"  
  
"Get some sleep?" She suggested between giggles as he threatened to hull her up over shoulder. "Okay, okay, I give up!"  
  
"As you should." Jason set her down slowly. With a sigh, he sat down next to a stack of boxes. "So that means that I have only cold showers, no heat if it gets cold, nothing to cook with, and I'll have to go buy a whole lot of candles."  
  
"Your house only runs on electricity?" Trini sat down next to him and wondered if she was out of her mind. No, it would be really bad idea! "Maybe some of the stuff is fun on gas?"  
  
"You know, I think the heat is on gas. Doesn't help me with the lighting problem though." Jason looked around the cluttered room. "Damn."  
  
Trini knew she was probably going to regret this. "Why don't you stay with me tonight until the power gets turn on. My roommate doesn't arrive until Tuesday and I have an extra guest room. You're welcome to..."  
  
"You mean it?"  
  
"Sure," she smiled at him but there was doubt in her eyes. "We're old friends right?"  
  
"Right." He nodded to himself. Just stay calm. It's just an offer of a bed for the night. Preferably hers but I really doubt that. "You won't mind?"  
  
"Not at all." She turned to look at the rest of the room so he couldn't scrutinize her expression. She has always been a terrible liar. Of course I mind you idiot. This would mean that I have to fight to keep my hands off of your body while you are sleeping not thirty feet away from me. "Do you need to get an overnight bag or something?"  
  
"Yeah, that would probably be a good idea." He grinned and wondered at just what was making him happy. He's going to have to spend an entire night alone, in a bed of her making, with her some forty odd feet away from him and him aching to be a lot better reacquainted with her. "Why don't you follow me upstairs and I'll get a bag for the night? I'll be real quick, I promise. Don't want to stay in the dark any longer than I have to." And with only this damn candle light to illuminate my way and mood. Oh no, giving me way too many bad thoughts. "You know, I can't remember the last time that I used a candle before."  
  
Trini sighed with relief now that he's chosen a subject of conversation that could distract her from a particular line of thought. "I love candles. I've got a ton of them in my condo; it's beginning to become a fire hazard. But I'm generally pretty good about keep it safe."  
  
"What do you use the candles for?" Jason asked as they made their way up the stairs. Thank goodness that the master bedroom was on the second floor.   
  
"Meditation and aromatherapy. It is a good and natural way of changing your moods. A scented candle can do wonders for your spirit." Trini said with a smile and stopped just short of his bedroom door.   
  
"What kinds for you have?" Jason asked just to keep the conversation going and not to think about just how torturously romantic his giant satin covered canopied bed looked in the candlelight. A gorgeous woman, big soft bed, me harder than granite, and an invisible do-no-cross line on this friendship. Great place you've gotten yourself into Jason. Real smart! "I'll be just a minute."  
  
"Take your time." Trini swallowed and hung around the doorway. Just breath and think of something else. "Lavender helps to relax the body and induces sleep." No, don't think about bed now! "Peppermint helps to lift the spirit and re-energizes..." No, don't got there either. "Roses are suppose to..." Bad subject as well. "Oh hell..." She muttered under her breath.  
  
"What did you say?" Jason turned to look at her.  
  
She smiled and shook her head. "Just muttering to myself."  
  
"Okay," Jason grabbed the first thing shirt and pants that came into his hands and scrounge around for boxers and pajama's for the night. After having everything including this traveling kit of necessities, he looked around for his over night bag. "Hum... I wonder where the thing is?"  
  
"What are you looking for?" Trini said as she took a deep breath and averted her eyes from the big bed smack in the middle of the spacious room. "Maybe I can help?"  
  
"My overnight bag." Jason pushed a few boxes away and tried to lift a few more but found it impossible to find anything in the mess. "Maybe I should have cleaned up a bit more today."  
  
"When did you get in this morning anyways?"  
  
"Around eleven."  
  
"Didn't exactly give you much time did it?"  
  
"Not really." He bit on his lip to keep from crying out as he stubbed his toe on an unseen crate that probably contained his books that should be downstairs in the library. "Damn it, maybe I should just carry the stuff in my hands."  
  
"What does the bag look like?" Trini asked as she caught a glimpse of what could be one of the handles of the bag.   
  
"It's a big red bag with blue side pockets and looks like something out of the Tommy Hilfinger collection." Jason said as she flipped open the box by the bathroom. Most of these boxes either belong in the library or wonderfully comfortable family room he had set up in the back of the house. "Hey, did you walk or drive here today?"  
  
"I drove." Trini replied as she got on her hands and knees to pull out the bag from under the bed where it had been haphazardly shoved to make room for more important things, like several cardboard blueprint carriers that were now leaning against the wonderful satin sheets. "I found it."  
  
"Great!" He turned and found his breath caught in his throat. Trini knelt by the bed with her hair all falling rather rumpled around her shoulders from a full day of exploring his house with him. Moving toward her with his bed so close at hand was probably not a good idea but what else can he do.  
  
Momentarily distracted, Trini examined the bag with interest. "You know, I could have swore that I've seen this somewhere before. It looks so familiar."  
  
"It should," he took it from and set it on the bed to fill it up with what he needed the next day. "You bought it for me."  
  
"I did?"   
  
"Yeah, just before we left for the Switzerland Peace Conference. It was for my seventeenth birthday if I remember correctly." He looked over at her for a moment but quickly look away, she was now sitting on his bed looking rather thoughtful.  
  
"Oh my gosh, I think you're right. You've had that thing for so long now?"   
  
"Yeah," he didn't add that he's pretty much kept everything from that part of his life. It was so rare that he got to have such fond memories of a time in his life when everything made sense. Besides, she had put a lot of heart into choosing his gift. "I still appreciate it."  
  
Trini blushed remember how much she agonize over what to get Jason that summer. It was impossible to give someone a gift when he appeared to have everything he would ever needed in life already. The inspiration came from seeing the fray backpack he used for a gym bag one afternoon. "I'm glad that you liked it."  
  
"I really did." He slung the tattered old thing over his shoulder and hand out his hand for hers. "Ready to go?"  
  
"It seems such a shame that you're not going to get to spend your first night in your new home actually in your new home." Trini said getting up slowly and reaching for the candelabra. "It's such a wonderfully beautiful house."  
  
"Yeah," he sighed with some regret. "But I really rather not spend it alone in the dark. This place is likely to have a few ghost in it from so many years of living."  
  
"You afraid of ghosts?" Trini grinned with amusement.  
  
"No, just monsters with three horns and eight eyes." Jason said with a teasing grin and they shared a good laugh over the strange and fantastic monsters they've seen over the careers as Power Rangers. "And yeah, I do agree that it would be a shame not to spend the night here."  
  
"So why don't we?" Trini said suddenly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why don't we spend the night there?"  
  
Jason looked around in a mock attempt to find something different than it had been three seconds before. "Hello? Did we forget that there is no light or electricity around here?"  
  
"So?" Trini smiled with excitement now, her eyes all aglow with fun. "We've done campouts before that lacked a whole lot more than we have here now. Including bathrooms?"  
  
He frowned in consideration. "True but..."  
  
"And it's not like we're stuck here. A couple of hours of sleep in a darkened house isn't such a bad thing. You'd have to turn the lights off for bed anyways and hot water is heated with gas." Trini looked at him hopefully.  
  
Jason eyed her with trepidation. "You really want to stay here don't you?"  
  
She bit her lip and nodded her head vigorously.   
  
"Well now can I say no to a lady's request." He put the bag down and looked at the dozen boxes in the room. "Well, I guess I'll move those downstairs and look for more candles then."  
  
"So where do I find a bed?" Trini asked with a smile. She really did want to spend the night here. There was something hauntingly beautiful about the mansion at night.   
  
"Oh oh," Jason turned around with his arm full of boxes. "Uhm.... Did I mention that the other bed things arrive first thing tomorrow morning?"   
  
Trini scratch her head in confusion. "There are beds though."  
  
"Yeah but nothing to put on them. No blankets, sheets, or covers." Jason shrugged his broad shoulders and turned before saying, "Looks like you're sharing mine for the night." And quickly rushed down the stairs before his face could go up in flames.  
  
Trini stood here dumbfound. Oh great! Just damn perfect!  
  



	4. Doubts and Decisions

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgments: To Gemini (Shawn) who has been a great friend and read my stuff. To Eliza, who encourage me to vent through really bad writing. And to my darling Josh, who is always there to help me out. Thanks for the encouragement guys.  
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Four  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 27, 2004  
Adam Park's Apartment  
1596 Almanino Drive # 2B  
Dallas, Texas  
  
Dr. Adam Park didn't really mind the late nights, the long hours and the craziness that comes with the ER. He does however mind Rocky's snoring at ten in the evening while he was trying to finalize this paperwork for the move on Monday. After half an hour of listening to his best friend, Adam finally gave up and threw the pillow at the sleeping figure on the floor.  
  
"Ouch!" Rocky sat up slowly. "Why did you do that for?"  
  
"When did you start snoring?" Adam asked with a sigh, already feeling bad for his behavior.  
  
"I was snoring again?" Rocky scratched his head with concern. "Damn."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Usually only snore when I'm either too tired or too worried about something." Rocky sighed and sat with his back against the dozen boxes that decorated Adam's almost empty apartment now. "Sorry about that."  
  
"No, I'm sorry." Adam sighed and put his pen down from the medical insurance form. "What's wrong? You want to talk about it?"  
  
"Not really."   
  
"Come on. It's the least I can do after waking you up in the middle of the night for no good reason. Spill it so you don't keep me up for the rest of the night with your loud trumpet."  
  
Rocky scratched his head and sighed. "I guess I'm still adjusting to the change. It's been a while since I've been away from my family. It's weird you know, like I'm leaving a part of myself behind in a way. But I'm moving in with you guys and your part of my family as well, the Power Ranger family. So in a way I'm moving away from one family and into another one. It's like.... I'm babbling like an idiot."  
  
Adam smiled and sat down next to the man. "For a reporter, you sure don't have great cognitive functions."   
  
"You're telling me. My editor often comments about the fact that what I put out on paper and what comes out of my mouth seems like it's from two different people. Kind of that mystery with Shakespeare and all that."  
  
"I won't go that far." Adam smiled and looked over at this small refrigerator. I wonder if there's any beer left. "Listen, it's just anxiety talking right now. I went through the exact same thing when I moved to Texas for medical school. It'll go away once you get settled in and the parties start to roll. You'll love it, I promise."  
  
"And if I don't?" Rocky asked anxiously.  
  
"Then you move home to Angel Grove and get labeled Momma's Boy for the rest of your life!"  
  
"ADAM!"  
  
Adam ducked to avoid the flying pillow. "No seriously, you'll just get a job at home and move again. It's that simple. You've got good credentials and a solid reputation in the news world. You'll not have any trouble getting more work if you decide that the big apple isn't the place for you."  
  
"And you guys would all be cool with that?"  
  
"It's not like Jason is in need of your rent money. You know we'd be down with that." Adam reached over and slung an arm around his best friend for more years than he cared to remember. "You've got your back, my man. Everything is going to work out fine. You're thinking too much."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Kimberly Hart's Apartment  
June 27, 2004  
421 Golden Lake Lane #3C  
Tampa, Florida  
  
"And that's the end of our program. I hope you join us again next week on Dataline."   
  
Kimberly turned off the TV and glanced around her apartment. It's almost completely devoid of her worldly goods now and yet.... It may have never felt like home here but she's spent many happy times here with her friends. Friends, she's forgotten almost for a moment that she had more friends than those that were in Florida. Angel Grove was her first home, where she first made friends, where she first fell in love, and where she first lost her heart to a man that no doubt no longer even thought of her now. He has his beautiful tall blonde Australian beauty to keep him warm on long lonely nights.  
  
And while a part of her knew that it was of her own making that she was alone now, the part of her that made the decision to let him go in the first place knew that it had been the fight move to make. He needed his freedom, and it would be the last gift she could give him.   
  
They've both moved on since then. He was not her only love, but he had been her first love and she shall never forget him or the wonderful way he made her feel. She missed him, even after all these years, she still missed him.  
  
With a sigh, Kim got up and took out the picture that she kept for so many years now but have never shown anyone before. The annual Angel Grove carnival had been one of the most wonderful moments of her life. She had love, friends, and a purpose in life. The six of them had been so young then, so full of the optimism of youth. They were so happy together. It was a long time ago.  
  
But she was about to get a new start in life. A new life to create for herself in New York. Trini will be there and they can be together again. Her and her best friend out on the town. Just two single attractive women out on the make. It is going to be the beginning to a wonderful new start for her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 27, 2004  
Tommy Oliver's Apartment  
68 Sunset Ave. #2E  
Los Angeles, California  
  
Tommy sighed with relief as he pushed open the door to his apartment and leaned heavily against it. Dinner with the folks had been good but the constant attention was becoming very trying. He knew that his parents meant well but he needed his space to grow.  
  
The last of his packing will be completely soon and then it's off to New Jersey and a new life to begin. New York, New York was going to be the spring broad for his career. Being a stock broker, Wall Street was the place to be if one wanted to build a reputation as a consultant that knows what they are doing in this world. And maybe he'll get a chance to buy a little place of his own just as Jason has.   
  
It would be nice. Having a place to call one's own where one can start a new life and begin to think about starting a family of his own. Heck, his parents dropped enough hints all through dinner that a nice woman was what he needed to settle down.   
  
A wife and family; that was a joke. Tommy Oliver, the family man. He couldn't even keep his girlfriends around long enough to talk about moving in together much less getting married and starting a family. Let's face it; his life was one that was destined to be a lonely one.   
  
During dark lonely nights, he allowed himself to imagine being with someone. Having a house, with white picket fences and two kids in the backyard playing on one of those big colorful play sets from Fisher Price. All that and a beautiful wife in the kitchen making fresh salad while he's at the grill BBQing some burgers for the kids and laughing at some joke his wife would tell him. His wife. A woman who was all kindness and sweetest, with hair that was the color of a lion's mane and eyes that where dark with mystery and wonder.   
  
Tommy shook his head. No, not going to go there. Every time he imagined a future it was always with the one woman he knew that he would never have. The one that got away as Rocky would say. Even when he was at this happiest with Kat, it was always the other's face that haunted his dark nights. Damn it! When was he going to get this out of his system?  
  
New York was the place where he could start a new. Where he won't have to look at the park, or coffee shop, or sidewalk and remember her. In New York, he got forget and start a new life. A new start for himself without the memories.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 27, 2001  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Oh my god," Trini's eyes were all aglow in the candlelight. "The water press in your shower is like incredible. You could run hydraulics in there."  
  
"I know." Jason leaned back on the bed ad fished his pj's out again from the bag.   
  
"Thanks for loaning me a shirt for the night." Trini held out the big t-shirt she was wearing as a nightshirt. "Do you always buy your clothes six sizes bigger?"  
  
"What are you talking about? That thing fits me fine. You're just too scrawny to fit it right that's all."  
  
"Scrawny?" Trini's threw the wet towel she had been using to dry her hair with at him. He caught it before it hit him in the face. "I am not scrawny! Let's see you say that I'm scrawny if I ever get you on the sparring mat."  
  
Jason remembered vividly of what happened the last time he got on the mat with her thinking that he could easily overpower the small Asian woman. He wouldn't walk straight for a week afterwards. "Petite then."  
  
"That's better!" She sighed and looked at the now cleaned room. "What happened to all the boxes?"  
  
"In their correct places now." Jason said with a sigh. The muscles across his back were screaming with pain from the over use today.  
  
"You okay?" catching the slight wince on his face.  
  
He shook his head and pulled his arms over his shoulder to stretch out some of the tense areas. "Just a couple to overly used body parts."  
  
"I can help." Trini said and scrambled onto the bed to kneel beside him. "Here, get on your stomach."  
  
"Urh..." Jason gave her a dubious look. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
"Of course I am." Trini said as she pulled on his shoulder. She grinned with amusement. "Don't you trust me?"  
  
"Not really." Jason said as he got on his stomach. This is going to be worse than any torture I can think of.  
  
"Thanks a lot!" Trini said as she playfully smacked him in the rear before straddling him across his hips keeping most of her weight on her knees. "Now hold still."  
  
"What are you doing?" Jason asked as he felt her hands moved slowly over his spine.   
  
"There are eight pressure points across a person's back that can be used to help release tension and relax the body." She said as she moved both hands outward across the shoulder blades. He was wonderfully warm under her hand. "You know, you're the first guy I've met that sleeps with their shirt on."  
  
"I usually don't but I figure since you'll be staying the night, I'll try to be modest." Jason has he concentrated on the candle by the bed instead of the pair of red hot hands on his back.   
  
"Breath out when I push down." She instructed and using the palm of her hand she pushed against his back along side the spine. "I'd use my feet if I didn't think it would freak you out."  
  
"Oh jeeze," he groaned as she applied pressure to a particularly knotted muscle. "That is so good. Where did you learn to do this?"  
  
"I took night classes on massage when I moved to New York three years ago." She worked out the knot and moved to the next one. "This would be so much easier if you didn't have your shirt on."  
  
He had it off so fast without ever unseating her that she laughed.  
  
"Like it that much huh?"  
  
"You better believe it." Jason moaned as she began to rub his back with her smooth soft hands. "You should have those hands registered. How come they're so warm?"  
  
"It comes from the inner peace. Chi Kon is an ancient form of marital arts that uses the inner energy to heal and creating what is known as a pushing force. It causes this surge of body heat that allows you to...." She glanced over at Jason's face. The man was so relaxed that she really doubted he cared how she was doing it as along as she kept doing it. "Just tell me when you've had enough."  
  
Jason smiled rather like a content cat with cream on its face. "Oh, I'm never going to get enough of this. You can sit on me any day."  
  
Trini found this to be more amusing that anything else that's happened so far. She was having way too much fun just simply getting to touch all that wonderfully tan warm skin with its hard muscles. She could sit here all day and not get tired of simply touching him. There was something deliciously sexy about a man completely at his ease. "You going to fall asleep on me here?"  
  
"Maybe." Jason shifted slightly. "Do you still practice marital arts here in the city?"  
  
"Yeah, I joined a gym." Trini said as her hands glided along his back. "It's actually rather nice there. Lots of equipment and a nice steam room that allows me to unwind when I have to."  
  
"Is it close?"  
  
"Not two miles away."  
  
"Maybe I should think about...never mind."   
  
"Why?" She grunted as she felt a knot at the small of his back. Putting her back into it, she worked the knot out.  
  
"I had the basement of this place redone and padded for a workout room. Tommy suggested some other things that I might think about installing in the future. With all the money I put into this place, I really should get the most of it without spending more on a membership to a fitness center."  
  
"Good point." Trini said as she felt all the muscles under her thighs soften and relax even while retaining its wonderful male firmness. "How are you doing?"  
  
"Wonderful." He murmured even while feeling his body react to the weight of a woman who was just too tempting by half. She would freak out if she even suspected what I'm thinking.  
  
He would totally freak out if he even suspects that I want to do to his wonderful body. Damn, its been way too long since I've been on a date.  
  
Just stay calm, she can't see anything. His physical attraction to her was beginning to be very uncomfortable from his position on his stomach.  
  
Relax, Trini. He's just getting comfortable. He'll be asleep in no time at all. She cleared her throat in an attempt to dislodge the frog that had jumped into her chest.  
  
I cannot keep this up! "Get on your knees for a second."  
  
Trini frowned but shifted her weight onto her knees. "Am I too heavy?"  
  
"I've bench pressed weights twice as heavy as you. Your meager weight is hardly anything to me." He turned around under her and sat up slowly with her still straddling his hips.   
  
"Then what's wrong?"  
  
"I just wanted a little taste." Jason said as his hands spanned the width of her waist. He was no longer thinking quite clearly especially with her now settled on his obvious arousal. "Just one little taste is all I want."  
  
"A taste of what?" her eyes were dark with confusion in the candlelight as she tried to search for the answers in his eyes.  
  
"Of you."   
  
She only had enough for her eyes to go wide before his mouth gently closed over her lips. When her hands jerked up to his chest, he scooped an arm around her waist and brought her gently closer. For his own pleasure, he skimmed his tongue over her lips, and dipped inside when they parted in response. Then she trembled, and he forgot about just getting a little taste of her.   
  
God, this is impossible. He wanted more, so much more. It was going to take more than just a little taste to assuage this need he felt deep at the pit of his stomach. He needed her tonight, more than he has ever needed anything else in his life. Testing them both, he pressed light kisses on either side of her mouth and watched her lashes flutter.  
  
Trini felt as if her brain had melted in her head and poured out of her ears. "Oh god," her heart thumped wildly in her ribcage. "I'm not sure if this is such a good idea."  
  
That clever mouth curved. "Why not?" His breathing wasn't all that smooth either as he ran a big wide hand over her spine causing her to shiver with need.   
  
"You know what they say about friends and sex. They tend to get really complicated when you combine the two." Her head was pounding and spinning at the same time. She knew better, absolutely knew better than to do this. "It's like a law."  
  
He almost laughed seeing the battle being waged in her eyes. "Whose law?"  
  
She would have had a witty comeback if only she could concentrate on anything else but those wonderfully sexy lips that had the power to drive her to her knees had she been standing. "Oh the hell with it," as she dragged his mouth back to hers again.  
  
Need and lust pulsed as one as she fell on him eagerly. In a space of a heartbeat, he went from simply enjoying her to devouring her. He couldn't stand under the bombardment of her need. She was all over him now. Those wonderfully warm hands streaked their way up his chest and into his hair, clutching him to her, her need feeding his even more.   
  
His arms banded around her, forgetting about her long fragile bones and soft delicate spare flesh. He used his teeth cause her wild frantic mouth seemed to have been made for him to ravish. The scent of the ivory soap she had used in his shower was absurdly sexy and he could almost taste it on her flesh as he ran his mouth over her throat.   
  
"Oh god," she groaned as his mouth made a trail down her neck. "We might end up regretting this in the morning you know."  
  
"Yeah, maybe." He didn't stop until he pulled the shirt he had lent her off and tossed the annoying piece of garment away. "But right now, I just want you bad enough to say to hell with the consequences."  
  
"Oh, okay." Her hands found him painfully erect and eager. He jumped she applied pressure to him and jerked away from him quickly.   
  
"Oh no you don't." He turned so that he had her underneath his body. "You are so not going to be doing that to me."  
  
"Doing what?" in all innocence.  
  
Jason wasn't buying it as he caught her questing hands again. He had a look of a content cat on his face as he leaned in close. "I'm going to enjoy this tonight. We're going to do this nice and slow."  
  
"Only goes to show you that you don't know me very well." She tried to get up but found herself pinned to the bed. There was such heat in his eyes as his glaze swept over her. She wanted what his glaze promised. "I like things fast and..."  
  
"Not tonight." Jason cut her off with his lips to hers again. Oh yeah, I'm definitely going to want to enjoy her tonight. "Tonight, we do things my way."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
I decided against doing the NC-17 thing. Use your imaginations guys cause I know you people have some pretty good ideas of what can happen.   



	5. Missing and Found

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgments: To Gemini (Shawn) who has been a great friend and read my stuff. To Eliza, who encourage me to vent through really bad writing. And to my darling Josh, who is always there to help me out. Sarah, you're are not doing a very good job keeping in line where this story is going. Don't you just hate it when the story writes you and not you writing them?  
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Five  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2004  
Adam Park's Apartment  
1596 Almanino Drive # 2B  
Dallas, Texas  
  
The last of his stuff was in the car and ready for the transport to the airport where everything would be flown to Newark Airport. Adam sighed and looked back into the empty apartment. This phase of his life was about to come to an end and a new start was waiting for him in the big apple.   
  
A part of Adam was going to miss the quite beauty of the Southern State. But another part of him was ready to move on to a new place to begin again. He had some good times here and a whole lot of really bad ones as well. Along with his medical training, he was also leaving behind a score of ex-girlfriends that he would rather forget about.   
  
His social life has to pick up now that he no longer had to study every evening. Then again, crazy residency hours was likely to play havoc on his social calendar. I just can't win.  
  
"Hey Adam, let's go!" Rocky yelled as he jumped into the cab.  
  
Adam nodded to himself and shut the door, dropping the apartment key to this landlord's mailbox on his way out. Goodbye Dallas, hello New York.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Kimberly Hart's Apartment  
June 28, 2004  
421 Golden Lake Lane #3C  
Tampa, Florida  
  
'Hum... that's weird." Kimberly murmured as she hung up the phone.  
  
"What is?" Janice glanced over her shoulder and asked as she helped her friend with more of the packing.   
  
"Trini's not home again." Kimberly frowned as she dialed the number again. "She wasn't home last night, or this morning. It's only nine o'clock. I hope nothing happened."  
  
"I'm sure she's fine. From the way you talk about her, you'd think she was super girl or something." Janice grinned and wiggled her brows. "Maybe she had a date last night and decided to stay out all night long. After all, someone should be having a good time even if the rest of us aren't."  
  
"Not Trini." Kimberly said and frowned at the ringing phone. "My Trini isn't one to jump into bed with just anyone. She'd have to get to know them pretty damn well to go to bed with them. And since she tells me everything and I haven't heard about any guy lately, it's a logical conclusion that she wasn't out having wild sex with some guy last night and haven't gotten home yet."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive!"  
  
Janice pouted prettily at her. "Spoil a girl's fine why don't you? You could have at least allowed me to fantasize a little."  
  
Kimberly laughed and threw a fluffy pillow at her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2004  
William Cranston's Resident  
357 Wilshire Blvd. #3D  
St. Louis, Missouri  
  
Billy's hand few across the keyboard with its usual ease. The last of the assignment was about to be done and then he could concentrate on the other part of his life, his personal one. Not that his social calendar was anything to brag about. Sometime between his trip to Aquitar and his trip back, he seemed to have reverted back to his usual shy geeky self again.   
  
The ringing phone interrupted his concentration. "This has better be good."  
  
"Good morning to you too, Billy." The twinkling laugher that accompanied the greeting stopped Billy dead in his tracks.  
  
"Kat?"  
  
"Right on one."   
  
"Oh my gosh, Katherine. How are you?" Billy took his glasses off and set it gently on the keyboard. "I haven't heard from you in so long."  
  
"Hi, Billy. Yeah, it's been a while. Listen, I'm calling cause I wanted to ask you something." Kat's voice held a rather halting tone.  
  
Billy had a bad feeling that he already knew what it was. "What is it?"  
  
"Is it true? About Tommy?"  
  
"What have you heard?"  
  
"That he's moving to New York," She knew she wouldn't ask but... "To be with Kimberly?"   
  
Damn, how did she find out about Kim? "First of all, where did you find out that Kimberly was going to New York?"   
  
"Aisha got an e-mail from her about a week ago. She accidently let it slip the other day."  
  
"Okay then," Billy took a deep breath. "Yes, Tommy is moving to New York. But no, he not going there to be with Kimberly. In fact, I don't think he knows that Kim is going to be in New York."  
  
"What?"  
  
He should have suspected Kat's insecurities. Adam had once mentioned it in the passing. "Listen Kat, the two of them ending up in the same city is merely a freak coincidence. No body planned it this way."  
  
"So it was fate." She seemed kind of resigned to it.  
  
"I won't call it that," Billy tried desperately though he too thought it was destiny that they were all ending up in the same city at around the same exact time. "It's just a sudden job market shift."  
  
"Yeah," Kat was completely unconvinced. The eight months since moving back to Australia she's had lots of time to think. The one conclusion she came to was that Tommy and her would have never made it. Not with Kimberly's ghost always haunting Tommy, day in and day out. The two of them were fated to be together. "Listen, would you make sure Tommy knows?"  
  
"Why?" Billy asked rather hesitantly.   
  
"I want him to be happy." She said quietly. "Tommy deserves to be happy. And I think Kimberly could make him very happy, in a way that I could never have."  
  
"Kat..."  
  
"Please do this for me, Billy? For old times sakes?"  
  
Billy sighed knowing that she was right on more than one account. "Yeah, I'll do that."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Now how about we catch up on old times?"  
  
She laughed. "I would like that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2001  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
The sound of the shower on full blast came into the room when Jason finally woke from an exhausting sleep. He groaned as he rolled over onto his side and glanced at the empty bed next to him. As much as he hated to admit it but while he was definitely surprise in physical strength Trini had a lot more stamina than he did. Six hours of incredible mind blowing sex! I'm never going to be the same again. She's completely ruined me for anyone that's going to follow her up. Then again, maybe I can convince her to... a question for another time. Right now, a shower would be real nice! He grinned rather wolfishly.   
  
Stretching out slowly, he got to his feet and considered briefly on pulling on at least his pants but decided against it. He's going to have to take it off it another minute or two anyways.  
  
Trini stood under the hot spray of the shower and practically purred with contentment. It was what comes of having one's curiosity satisfied. It's been years since she's wondered what it would be like to go to bed with Jason, a teenage crush that she had thought she was over with. But yesterday, just seeing him made her hormones jump into a full-throated chorus. So much for growing out of adolescent fantasies. But damn if reality wasn't ten times better than anything my mind can come with!  
  
She was lathering herself with the huge bar of soft soap when the glass door to the shower opened without warning. Steam billowed out into the room.   
  
She turned quickly, blinking water out of her eyes. Jason loomed in the opening with misty tendrils of vapor swirling around him. His gaze darkened in intensity as he watched her through the spray.  
  
"You're letting out all the heat!" She admonished softly as she stepped back giving him room to move it.  
  
He shut the door behind him and stepped under the wonderfully hot spray. He closed his eyes and relaxed under the heat as Trini lathered up the soap against and ran one hand slowly over his chest.   
  
"I'll do your back if you do mine?" She offered sweetly as she stepped on his feet with her tiptoes and leaned up to kiss him on the lips. The sweet good-morning kiss she had planned on offering turned red hot in the space of the time it took for him to get his arms around her.   
  
"Good morning," he murmured against her lips. "You're a better workout than any of those instructional videos that one can buy at the stores."  
  
"Wore you out did I?" she grinned rather smugly.   
  
"Oh yeah," he sighed and took the soap from her and motioned for her to turn around. "When did you get to be so...proficient?"  
  
Trini giggled at his choice of words. "Well a girl's got to learn to amuse herself when alone in a big lonely city without a friend in sight."  
  
Jason almost laughed out loud. "Okay then." He draped himself over her back and pulled her tight against him, allowing his hands to wonder over her belly and across her shoulders. She leaned her head back against him and allowed the water on his back to dribbled onto her. "Hum......I like this."  
  
She smiled and closed her eyes in contentment. Jason was being wonderfully sweet this morning, something she had secretly feared that he would not be. A part of her will admit that she was afraid that he was going to wake up regretting last night and turn from her coldly. She trembled at the thought of having to wake up to that kind of reaction after a night of wonderfully hot intimacy.   
  
"Cold?" He held her tighter against him and turned enough to allow the hot water to spray directly on to her without hitting her in the face.   
  
"Not at all." She turned slowly in his arms and leaned her face against his chest. "That is very nice. I've never showered with anyone before."  
  
"None of your lovers ever showered with you?" he asked with some disbelief but was pleased that he was allowed to show her this small pleasure. "Well girl, they don't know what kind of fun they are missing out."  
  
With eyes twinkling with amusement at some joke that she wasn't sharing, she leaned into him with teasing tones in the voice. "Why don't you show me?"  
  
Jason winced with mock pain. "You're killing me."  
  
"Yeah, but I'm sure it will be one hell of a way to die." She laughed.   
  
"I'm doomed."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2004  
Tommy Oliver's Apartment  
68 Sunset Ave. #2E  
Los Angeles, California  
  
The phone woke Tommy up from the heavy sleep he was indulging in for the first time in possibly forever. "What do you want?"  
  
"Nice greeting there, cowboy!" Rocky laughed as he looked over at Adam who rolled his eyes and avoided the eyes of a couple of giggling teenagers that have been trying to catch their attention for the last hour. "What's up you in such a cheery mood?"  
  
"Urgh!" Tommy rubbed his face with his hand and glanced over at the clock. "What the hell around you guys doing up at eight in the morning on my vacation day?"  
  
"It's ten my boy and we're on a plane to New Jersey."  
  
"You guys moving in today?"  
  
"I start on Wednesday!"  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"The news is not going to wait while I vacation." Rocky laughed.   
  
"Damn," he shook his head and sat up slowly. "Okay, what's up?"  
  
"When you do arrive tomorrow?"  
  
"How'd you know that I would be..."  
  
"Jason." He looked over and thank the flight attendant for the drink and peanuts. "By the way, have you heard from our golden boy lately? We tried calling him last night and this morning, but no one is answering on his house phone or cell."  
  
"No," Tommy frowned. It was unlike Jason to not answer especially since they were all due to arrive soon. "I talked to him last Friday but not since. I spend yesterday with my parents. Let me try this voice mail."  
  
"Nothing there either. I've tried every which way to reach him."  
  
"Hum...."  
  
"Yeah, we're worried too." Rocky nudged Adam and handed the phone to him.  
  
"Tommy?" Adam gulp down the gin and tonic. He hated to fly. And for someone that use to operate a giant robot machine that stood several hundred feet above the ground, has flown the subspace through teleportation devices, and fought out-of-this-world monsters, it seemed ridiculous that he would have this irrational fear of flying in a perfectly harmless 747. "How are you buddy?"  
  
"Good, you?"  
  
"Good."  
  
"You sound like of...funny."  
  
"I hate planes."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't like flying. I even drove to Dallas."  
  
Tommy shook his head and frowned at the phone. "You were a Power Ranger, Adam. How can you be afraid to fly? You fly the..." He raked his brain.  
  
"That's different." Adam took a deep breath and grabbed Rocky's drink right out of his hands. Downing it quickly, he motioned to the flight attendant. "I need to sleep through this trip."  
  
"Take it easy, Adam. You're not too great at holding your liquor remember?" Recalling a rather interesting night when they went out drinking and Adam ended up dancing on a table with a couple of girls wearing his shirt inside out and backwards.   
  
"I don't particularly care right now." Remembering the same incident and Tommy's rather green face the morning after. "Listen, could you find Jason for us? It would be nice if we could get into the house when we get there."  
  
"Sure, I'll do that." Tommy sighed and resigned himself for yet another early morning. "When does your flight arrive?"  
  
"At two in the afternoon."  
  
"Okay, I'll see about having Jason at the house at three."  
  
"Thanks, Tommy." Adam nodded his thanks to the sympathetic stewardess who poured him another drink. "We'll call again when we land."  
  
"Okay, have fun."  
  
"Thanks, good luck."  
  
Tommy laughed. "Maybe I should say that to you?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
  
Chapter Six  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2004  
Tommy Oliver's Apartment  
68 Sunset Ave. #2E  
Los Angeles, California  
  
Tommy frowned as Jason's voice mail picked up again on his cell phone. "Jason, it's Tommy again. Listen, could you call me when you get this? Adam and Rocky will arrive in Newark at two this afternoon Eastern Standard Time. I hope you're going to be in at that time. We're getting pretty worried here since we can't seem to reach you in any of the conventional ways. Please get in contact with us when you get his message. Bye."  
  
Hanging up the phone, Tommy frowned. "Where are you buddy?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Kimberly Hart's Apartment  
June 28, 2004  
421 Golden Lake Lane #3C  
Tampa, Florida  
  
"Trini, I don't know where you are but you better call me soon or I'm going to call out the national guards for you. Call me the minute you get in okay? Bye." Kimberly hung up the phone with a frustrated sigh.  
  
"Still no answer?" Janice asked wrapping a silly porcelain dog in newspaper.   
  
"I'm getting pretty worried. It's not like Trini to just up and take off with no word to anyone?"  
  
"I still like my theory better."  
  
"I don't. Then I'd be doubly worried since who knows what kind of guy she's with. He could be crazy manic that wants nothing but..."  
  
"Her sexy body?"  
  
"JANICE!!"  
  
"What? I can appreciate a beautiful female body without being a lesbian."  
  
Kimberly laughed while still worrying about Trini's sudden disappearance. "Trini, where are you?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2004  
William Cranston's Resident  
357 Wilshire Blvd. #3D  
St. Louis, Missouri  
  
"Hey Jason, where are you?" Billy frowned glancing at his watch. "Listen, could you give me a call when you get this message? This is the third one that I've left in the past two hours. We have slight problem cause I don't think you or any of the other guys know about who else is currently living in New York right now and who's about to be moving into the area within the next couple of days. We need to talk! Call me."  
  
Billy sighed and hung up the phone. Jason is Billy's best friend. But Jason is also Tommy's best friend. He needed Jason's input on this whole Kimberly/Tommy situation. He did not want to blind side their friend. And hopefully, they can reach Trini as well. She would be the perfect person to talk to about Kimberly's likely reaction. Damn, this is complicated.  
  
Dialing an unfamiliar number, Billy waited and growled in frustration when the machine picked up. "Trini, it's Billy. I don't know if you know about the recent relocation of some of our old pals from the Ranger days. We need to talk if you've heard the confirmation on Kimberly's arrival date. Trouble in on the horizon and I'm not sure if it's going to be good or bad. Call me when you get this message. Bye."  
  
With a sigh, he leaned back at his desk and ignored his beeping e-mail. "Where the hell is everyone when you need them!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2001  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I see the power is on, do did you brew the coffee the old fashion way?" Trini smiled as she accepted the cup of java from Jason.   
  
"I can't even boil egg right sometimes, what makes you think I can make coffee the old fashion way?" He sat down and sighed. "How do you make coffee the old fashion way anyways?"  
  
"Grind coffee into hot water and settled with cold water afterwards." Trini sighed and leaned against him as they sat in the family room with all the clutter and sipped their coffee.   
  
The morning light shone through the double glass doors to the porch and the weather seemed exceptionally fine for a summer day in New Jersey. The big maple trees in the backyard were all green and fresh from the winter snow and so full of life. The silence was comfortable and for the first time in a while, they were both content and happy with life.   
  
"Don't you have housemates moving in today?" Trini asked when she's drank her full of the wonderful peace in life at the moment.   
  
"Yeah, I'm surprised that they haven't called for the conformation of time and everything." Jason said as he shifted with one arm still wrapped around the woman next to him. "This is nice."  
  
"Did you plug in your phone?" She smiled and snuggled closer. "Are we cuddling?"  
  
"Yeah, I plugged it in last night." Jason gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Yeah, we're cuddling."  
  
"Is it one of those phones that needed a power source? I've never cuddled anyone except my little cousins before."  
  
"Oh, I think I did have to plug the thing in first. May I say that your past boyfriends were exceptionally romantic ones. They didn't shower with you, cuddle you, or kiss you good morning?"  
  
"Then even if the guys tried to call in, they won't have gotten through. You're probably going to find a couple of voice mails if you check right now. And no, I guess the guys I dated wasn't too romantic in any of the conventional ways. I guess I just don't seem like the kind of girl men woo, just the type that guys have sex with."  
  
"I'll check in a moment. And you are not just the type to have sex with." He kissed the top of her head and settled down to rest again.   
  
"Uh...Jason?" Trini bit her lips and wondered if she was doing the right thing.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'd...I'd like it if you didn't tell the others about last night. Or this morning." She said quickly.  
  
"Why?" He shifted to took her in the eyes. "We didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"No, of course not." Trini reassured him quickly. "We're both single unattached people. There is nothing wrong with us having sex."  
  
"Then why..."  
  
"Come on Jase," she looked at him appealingly. "You were the leader and I was the reasonable one. We're hardly two of the most likely people among our friends have a one-night stand. You don't think it's going to freak them out a little?"  
  
Jason frowned and thought about it. It was true that him and Trini aren't exactly what people would call spontaneous, but it hardly seems like they would freak out. Yet, Trini seemed awfully anxious about this issue. "I guess." He grinned suddenly and leaned into her. "And what makes you think this is a one-night stand?"  
  
Her brows went up in question. "Is there to be a repeat performance?"  
  
"If you'd like." He kissed her wrinkled brows. "And yes, I will keep quiet about this for now."  
  
She smiled. "Okay then. So..." she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his chin. "What would you like for lunch? Pizza? Italian again? Or me?"  
  
Jason grinned like the happy fool that he was. "Like there's any competition!"  
  
Trini squealed with laugher as Jason hauled her up into his arms and up the stairs again.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"You have fifteen new messages."  
  
"Holy shit!" Jason shook his head and grabbed a pen by the bed.  
  
"What is it?" Trini asked a she tugged on her jean shorts. "And have you seen my halter top?"  
  
"I think it's still in the bathroom." Jason's eyes crossed as another message from Adam came through followed by three messages from Tommy. "Okay, this is the last time that I turn the cell phone off. There's like fifteen messages with people thinking that I've been murdered in my sleep."  
  
Trini laughed and got up slowly, wincing as she felt some of the overworked muscles pulled slightly. "I'm going to get dressed and get out of your way."  
  
"Stay and greet the guys with me."  
  
"What happened to keeping things quiet?" She laughed. "Beside, I want to surprise them in a day or two so don't say anything yet."  
  
Jason shook his head as another message from Billy came through. "Hey, Billy mentioned something about a potential problem. Know anything about it?"  
  
"Oh, I think he's probably thinking about the fact that Tommy and Kimberly is about to meet up once again after several years of distance between them."  
  
Jason's head snapped around. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Kim's my new roommate." She grinned at the expression on Jason's face. "She moves in on Tuesday."  
  
"You have got to be kidding!" Jason took a moment to ignore the buzzing from the cell phone. Then the irony of it all sank in. "Damn, this is going to get interesting."  
  
"You know it." Trini dug her sandals out from under the bed and pulled the pen from Jason's hand. "There my phone number and address." She kissed him full on the lips while he sat there rather stupidly with the phone still buzzing in his ear. "Call me later when you've got things settled down a little. We'll plan a surprise for everyone. Catch you later, lover." Then she skipped out of the room happily.  
  
Jason sat there for a full minute rather bemused. With a shake of his head, he deleted the messages and called Tommy.  
  
"Hey bro."  
  
"Jason? Where have you been?" Tommy shouted into the phone. "I was getting ready to call the police."  
  
"Sorry man, the phone needed to be plugged in to work and I had no power last night. And I forgot that I had turned my cell phone off."  
  
"You spent the night in darkened house?"   
  
"Yeah," Jason grinned at his unseen friend. "It was rather interesting."  
  
"I'll bet." Tommy glanced at the clock and made a quick calculation. "Listen, Adam and Rocky arrive in a hour, you got the place ready for them?"  
  
"Not quite, but that's to be expected." Jason got up slowly and grabbed his jeans from the floor where Trini had helped him kick off earlier. "Don't worry, everything is going according to plan right now. You and the guys are going to help me organize this house when you get in."  
  
"Great." Tommy smiled finally and sat back in his chair. "Okay, then. Call me when the guys arrive okay?"  
  
"Sure, can't wait for this to all get started."  
  
"Me too."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Trini Kwan's Condo  
June 28, 2004  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"You have eight messages."  
  
Trini grinned remembering Jason's comment about his messages. "Well, looks like you weren't the only one that people thought was missing in action last night."  
  
The phone rang again as she was getting ready to replay the messages. "Hello?"  
  
"TRINI!" Kimberly screeched into the phone. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?"  
  
"Hello to you too Kim." Trini laughed as she opened her frig. She and Jason never did get around to having lunch. "What's up?"  
  
"What's up?" Kimberly's eyes went wide and she clutched the phone pretending it was Trini's neck. "You go missing for a night and most of this morning and you ask me 'what's up'?"  
  
"Kim, I was out with a friend. Everything is fine. I'm sorry that I worried you." Orange juice looked good at the moment.  
  
"Okay," Kimberly had a feeling that she was hiding something but there was more than enough time to go over that once she gets to New Jersey tomorrow. "How are you?"  
  
"Hungry." She considered the anti-pasta and salad materials. "You all packed and ready to come up here for a new start in your life?"  
  
"All packed and ready. I'm so excited about this, Trini. I know that this is the right move of me. My life is never going to be the same again."   
  
"Oh you can count on it," Trini grinned thinking of all the possibilities with Tommy some three blocks away. She wonder if she'd be the godmother to their first child. Never in her life has she seen any two people more perfect together than Kimberly and Tommy. Why the broke up in the first place was beyond her. She never did wiggle the truth out of Kim. "Got any good party dresses?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"We'll go shopping."  
  
"Why do I need party dresses?"  
  
"Cause you are going to need it!" She grinned and was about to hint to the possibilities when a click cut her off. "Hold on a second, someone is trying to cut in." Flashing over, she asked, "Hello?"  
  
"Trini?"   
  
"Yeah, that's me. Who's this?"  
  
There was a long sigh. "It's Billy."  
  
"BILLY! Hold on a second, I've got Kim on the other side, I'll up us on Party Line." She reached for the flash button.  
  
"No, wait." Billy shouted into the phone. "I need talk to you alone for a bit. Can you put her off?"  
  
"Sure," Trini frowned. It wasn't like Billy to sound so worried. "Hold on a second." Clicking over to Kim again, "Hey Kim, I've got to take this. Long distance from an old client. Could I call you later today?"  
  
"No problem, but I'm going out with friends tonight so don't be surprised if no one answers. I'll be seeing you tomorrow anyways. Airport at three."  
  
"Won't miss it for the world!" Trini grinned with excitement. "I'll see you then. Take care."  
  
"You too, bye."  
  
Trini clicked over again. "Okay Billy, what's up? This sounds important."  
  
"Trini," he licked his lips and thought about the approach he was going to take. "First of all, did you know that Jason bought a house in your town?"  
  
Choking on her juice, Trini coughed in an attempt to clear her wind passage and to keep from laughing out loud.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," she patted herself in the chest and held the phone away from her mouth until she had her amusement under control. "Same town you say?"  
  
"Yeah, Jason bought a house in Jersey since he got a new job in the big city." He sighed. "Here's the kicker, Adam, Rocky, me and Tommy are all moving in with him."  
  
"You're coming to the East Coast?" She laughed with delight. "That's great!"  
  
Billy frowned. "Trini, did you hear me? I said that TOMMY is moving in with Jason, not a couple of miles away from you and KIMBERLY!"  
  
"Yeah, I heard you." She looked at the break and wondered if she should make French toast for herself. It was rather healthy and delicious too.  
  
Billy was stupidities. "Why don't you sound alarmed or surprised?"  
  
"Probably because I already knew." Yeah, French toast sounded like a very good idea now. Her stomach was growling since all she had this morning was that cup of coffee from Jason.  
  
There was a long pause. "You already knew about Jason and the house didn't you?"  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
"And about Tommy and everyone else moving in with him, huh?"  
  
"That would be correct."  
  
"And you realized te problem that will arise when Tommy and Kimberly find out that they will be within shouting distance from one another, right?"  
  
"I won't call it a problem. And I don't think it's shouting distance. Three blocks really is some distance away when you thinking about how far the human voice an travel."  
  
"Trini?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You're a pain in the ass."  
  
Trini grinned. "I know. Anything else?"  
  
Billy smiled and shook his head. "You're really not worried about them meeting?"  
  
"Not even a little."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause when they see each other, they're going to realize just how big of a mistake it was for them to have broken up in the first place."  
  
"You're that confident?"  
  
"Tell you what, I'll bet you twenty to one that they'll be engaged to be married by the end of this year."  
  
Billy thought about it, REALLY thought about it. "I don't think that I'll take that bet."  
  
"Smart boy."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Okay, another chapter to this story. And I'm working as quickly as I can on the next ones but my days have been busier so it's been coming slower. But hang in there, I promise, it will be worth while.   



	6. Suspicions

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times. It hopefully, it will stay that way!  
  
Acknowledgments: To Gemini (Shawn) who has been a great friend and read my stuff. To Eliza, who encourage me to vent through really bad writing. And to my darling Josh, who is always there to help me out. This one is for Hanspam and The Girl in the Red Jacket, whose ideas have given me inspiration for the next three chapters. Thanks guys for all the help!!!  
  
Note: This chapter is slightly boring cause I'm working up the story. It'll get better soon, I promise.  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Six  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2001  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Oooouuuuchhhh!" Rocky hopped around the round with one hand on his bruised foot and the other fraying around trying to keep his balance.   
  
"Rocko! You all right?" Jason stuck his head around the doorframe and looked at the comical scene.   
  
"Peachy!" Rocky answered through clinched teeth. "Why is it I can't seem to drop anything without it landing on my foot?"  
  
"You are just lucky I guess." Jason said with a grin. "Want a hand?"  
  
"No, no, I got it. I'm going to get this room organized if it kills me."  
  
"From the looks of thing, it looks like it just might." Jason shook his head at the giant heaping mess that's become of the third floor bedroom and Jason had assigned to Rocky. "Didn't you pack your stuff according to where and what they belong with?"  
  
"Jason, I'm a journalist. I travel around half the time covering stories in different cities. I pack at a minute's notice. I was at Adam's the next day after I found out about this whole moving thing. What makes you think that I did any of the packing myself?"  
  
"I guess." Jason frowned as he pulled a rubber chicken from a box that had appeared to be filled with an assortment of Rocky's traveling souvenir collection. "I am not even going to ask."  
  
"Hey, Jason?" Adam came in with an arm load of towels of about eighteen different shades. "Where do you want some of this stuff?"  
  
"What the hell?" Jason frowned at it. "Why did you bring enough towels for the old football team?"  
  
"I didn't." Adam shrugged his shoulders. "These are yours. It was from the box marked 'stuff sent by mom.' I thought you might need a little help unloading some of your stuff too while we were at it."  
  
"Thanks." Jason shook his head and eyed the towels with resignation. "Mother always seemed to like to buy things in bulk sizes. Let's up them in the sauna."  
  
"You've got a sauna?" Rocky's eyes lit up like a kid at the candy store.  
  
"And some other surprises," he smiled rather smugly.   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"How can they be surprises if I tell you?"  
  
Adam laughed as Rocky looked rather crestfallen. "So, when is Tommy and Billy coming in?"  
  
"Tommy gets in at around three tomorrow. I'm going to go pick him up at the airport. As for Billy, he won't be coming for at least another week or two. He's finishing up some stuff and his lease doesn't come up for a few more weeks. Speaking of Billy, I was supposed to call him." Jason frowned. Billy's usual calm demeanor seemed to have been rattled from the way he sounded on the messages that he had left. "You know, I think that I'm going to do that now. Why don't you guys get settled in and I'll take the towels to the back. Oh, and think of what you guys want for dinner okay? I have to warn you, the kitchen is pretty empty."  
  
Adam and Rocky exchanged looks before turning to Jason. "PIZZA!"  
  
Jason laughed. "Okay, pizza it is then.'  
  
After depositing the towels in the gazebo sauna, Jason made his way to the library. Flipping open the address book he had put in there, he dialed the phone number.  
  
"Hello? Billy Cranston's."  
  
"Billy, it's Jason."  
  
"Jason, it's about time."  
  
"Nice to hear from you. What's up? Your messages sounded like you wanted to tell me that Rita and Zedd are returning to earth or something."  
  
"Nothing that disastrous but close. Kimberly is moving to New York!"  
  
Silence. "And?"  
  
"What do you mean..." There was a pause as Billy's brilliant brain failed him for a moment. "Oh, I see."  
  
"And what do you see?" Jason said with a grin as he wondered what Trini was doing that very moment.   
  
"You and Trini talked I take it?"  
  
"Yeah."   
  
"She didn't mention it."  
  
That took Jason by surprise. "You talked to her?"  
  
"About three hours ago." Billy sighed and sat back. "You're not worried are you about the potential disaster that could happen if Kim and Tommy cannot not stand to live within spitting distance from each other right?"  
  
"I really doubt that will happen." Jason sat down on his bed and looked under the bed for his tennis shoes. "I sure that once Tommy sees Kimberly again, he's going to realize what an idiot he has been and work things out with her. They never should have broken up in the first place. I never understood why he let it go so easily in the first place."  
  
"Maybe cause he wanted her to be free and happy." Billy looked over the proposal on his desk. "Maybe he thought that she truly was happy where she was in her life and wanted that for her. He certainly loved her enough to let her go."  
  
"That's a strange logic thought it makes sense in some ways." Jason frowned. "But if I had been Tommy, I would have transported to Florida and demanded more than a damn 'Dear John' letter from her. And if I had truly loved the girl, I won't have accepted even a plausible explanation."  
  
"Thank goodness you're not Tommy then."   
  
"Ha, ha."  
  
"Okay, if you and Trini aren't worried then I won't be either. Thought I am going to say that I'm glad that it's not me that's going to be telling those two that their ex is living right next door to them."  
  
"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Jason wasn't exactly looking forward to telling Tommy himself. He could only imagine what his best friend's reaction is going to be. "When are you moving out, bro?"  
  
"Not for nearly a month."  
  
"That long?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm afraid so. But don't' worry, I am coming over. I am certainly not going to miss that fireworks that are sure to fly with Kim and Tommy in the same area again."  
  
"And the shit will certainly hit the fan!" Jason commented. "Okay, I'm going to go for a run now. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Later, Jason."  
  
"Bye Billy."  
  
Jason pulled his shoes on and headed toward the stair ways. Turning his head upward, "Hey guys. I'm going to go for a jog then come back for dinner. Want to order while I'm out?"  
  
"Okay!" Rocky called back down from his bedroom door. "I'll order in an hour's time. Can you be back by then?"  
  
"Not sure. I'm going to do a little street exploring while I'm at it." Jason called out and grinned to himself. He was also going to figure out just how far away from Trini he really was. "I'll be back in two hours at most."  
  
"Okay!" Rocky said as he headed back into is messy room.  
  
"A jog now?" Adam came to the stairway and looked down at his friend. "Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, you just moved in and don't' know that neighborhood very well."  
  
"This is hardly the ghetto, Adam. Besides, I can handle myself pretty good in a fight. Don't worry. Besides, it's been way too long since I've had a good country run to work out my bones. Chicago wasn't exactly filled with nice quiet streets for me jog in."  
  
"Okay then, if you're sure. See you later."  
  
"See you guys."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Trini Kwan's Condo  
June 28, 2004  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Ding Dong."  
  
Trini rushed down the stairs wondering briefly to herself who it could be at this hour. She had been about to step into the shower again before making dinner for herself. She sincerely hoped that Jason and the others are not having something disgustingly oily like pizza for dinner. "Coming!"  
  
Swinging the door open without bothering with the eyepiece, she only had a moment to gasp before Jason swept her into a tight embrace followed by a kiss hot enough to scorch her toes. His big hands gripped her shoulder and waist, holding her in place as his mouth ravished her lips.   
  
"Hum...hum...huh...hum..." Her muffled words didn't do anything to extinguish the heat of passion. Her fingers thread through his thick hair and gripped his head to hers. She gave as good as she got as they move into the living room, Jason shutting the door with his foot.  
  
When Jason had had enough of her mouth and moved on to her throat, she chuckled with pleasure as he headed unerringly for the sofa. "Well, hello to you too. This is one hell of a greeting."  
  
"I missed you." He murmured against her throat. She tasted all soft and sweet, like honey on freshly baked bread on a warm summers day. "I want you."  
  
"Hum...." She leaned her head back and allowed him more access to her throat, which he was now lavishing with kisses and little nips of his teeth. "I have a very nice bed upstairs. Not as grand as yours is but it serves my purpose."  
  
Jason could barely see through the haze of passion that was obscuring his vision. "You have a very nice long sofa right here in the living room."  
  
Trini laughed with delight as she dragged his head back to kiss his lips again. "I like the way you think."  
  
"Baby," his eyes would have set her hair on fire. "You haven't seen anything yet."  
  
~~~~~  
  
An hour later, Trini raised her head lazily and sighed as she laid her head on Jason's chest. "I thought you would be with the guys the rest of the day?"  
  
"I had planned on it. But I got this over whelming urge to come see you." He leaned on his elbow and bent down to kiss her lips.   
  
"Hum... That's nice." She smiled at him. "But what happened to keeping this between the two of us for now? Don't you think that guys are going to get a little suspicious with you gone for so long?"  
  
"They think that I went for a jog." He reached over for his shirt that had been dragged off his body earlier. "As far as they know, I just wanted to acquaint myself with the neighborhood."  
  
"Oh," her eyes were all a glow with amusement. "That's very good. I'm impressed."  
  
"Thank you." He sat up slowly with her still in his arms. She was all soft and sweet that he was tempted to stay right here with his arms wrapped around her delicate frame. Heck, he could stay there forever. Damn, where had that come from?!?  
  
"You want to shower before you leave?" Trini asked as she yawned and stretched slowly. All her muscles were soft from the wonderful feel of sex.   
  
"No, I better not." Jason stood up slowly, reluctant to let go of her warmth. "I told them that I was jogging, if I show up fresh as a daisy, they are definitely going to suspect something."  
  
Trini grinned rather evilly. "If you show up smelling like sex, they are going to suspect something anyways."  
  
Jason frowned and raised his hands to his face. He could smell Trini's shampoo and perfume on his fingers. "Damn, you're right."  
  
"You'll simply have to stay away from them until you can take a quick shower." She picked up the light summer dress she had been wearing before and slipped it on without panty or bra. "I'm sure they will understand not wanting to get near you when you look like you are cover in sweat. Though, I personally love a man that glows."  
  
With a laugh and a kiss, Jason grabbed his cloths and dressed as quickly as he could. "We're grabbing dinner. You want to drop by and surprise the guys plus have dinner with us?"  
  
"What are you having?"  
  
"Pizza."  
  
Trini groaned. "No thanks. I think I'll make myself a salad and head to bed for the night. WE didn't really get any sleep last night and I need my rest."  
  
"Okay then," he laced up his shoes and leaned in for a final kiss before grabbing the door. "I'll see you soon?"  
  
"You better believe it." She smiled and grabbed his neck again. She rather enjoy the kisses and the hugs and everything else that he did. "Why don't you suggest a BBQ on Friday and I'll bring dessert and Kimberly?"  
  
"Oh, I like that idea." He grinned. "I'll do that. Friday at noon?"  
  
"Sounds good." She grabbed his hand. "You still like strawberry swirl ice cream?"  
  
He raised a brow in surprise. "Still my favorite."  
  
"Then that's what I'll bring."  
  
"Great. See you Friday or sooner if we can both sneak away. Call me on my cell if you need me."  
  
"Okay. Bye."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2001  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Adam and Rocky glanced at the door, as it slammed shut. "Hey, where have you been?"  
  
"Went around the blocks a couple of time." Jason said headed for the stairway. "I'll grab a quick shower before dinner. Don't want you both passing out from the order of me and my jog."  
  
Rocky made a face. "You do that."  
  
Jason grinned and waved his hand at them as he took the stairs two at a time.  
  
Adam frowned after their friend. "Jason must be in really great shape."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Rocky asked as he glanced the clock again for the fifth time in the past ten minutes. The pizza was late.  
  
"Cause he didn't even seemed winded after an hour run. Nor was he sweating very hard or flushed from the excerise." Adam observed with his usual detailed doctor's eyes. "Unless I'm wrong, our friend wasn't jogging after all."  
  
"Well, what do you think he was doing around a neighborhood he is unfamiliar with if not jogging as he said he was?" Rocky asked with only half his mind on the problem at hand. The other half was on his growling stomach, which was gnawing on itself painfully. "First chance we get, we're going to get a car and go get some snack food for this house."  
  
"I don't know what he might have been doing," Adam said with a shake of his head. "But it was jogging. Oh well, he'll tell us when he's good and ready. In the mean time, where is that pizza?"  
  
"Good question."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Next chapter promises to be a more interesting one. Kimberly and Tommy hit New York! Stay tuned.  



	7. Close call

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgments: For everyone that reads and responds to this story. I'm sorry this is taking so long, but it got a whole lot more complicated than I had expected.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Seven  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 28, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Brrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnnggggg!"  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey gorgeous."  
  
"Hey yourself. What's up?"  
  
"Nothing. Just wanted to hear your voice before I go to bed."  
  
Twinkling laugher came through the phone. "So did the boys ask?"  
  
"About me being out? No."  
  
"Okay then. So, I'm going to be here all morning if you feel up to another run. But I'll be gone in the afternoon."  
  
"I just might feel the need to get some fresh air."  
  
"Well then, there's a spare key under Mr. Winkles in the rose pot outside my door."  
  
"Mr. Winkles?"  
  
"You'll know it when you see it."  
  
"Okay then. I may be seeing you tomorrow morning then."  
  
"I look forward to it if you show."  
  
"Good night, gorgeous. Dream sweet."  
  
"Night."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 29, 2004  
Los Angeles International Airport  
Los Angeles, California  
  
"Brrriiiiinnnnnnggggggg."  
  
"Thomas Oliver."  
  
"Hey, buddy."  
  
"Jason! How are you doing?'  
  
"Wanted to check in on you and your flight. What time do I need to be at the airport?"  
  
"My flight is due in Newark at three twenty-five. But looks like they're making good time."  
  
"So, I should be there around four."  
  
"You're not going to help me with my vast amount of luggage?"  
  
There came a groan. "This is the problem with everyone picking up their lives and moving it out. Everyone has several years of stuff to lug around. Yeah, I'll help with the big stuff."  
  
Tommy laughed. "Relax, it's two large suitcases. The other stuff is being delivered to your place sometime tomorrow."  
  
"Whew, thank goodness."   
  
"So, I'll be seeing you in about four hours?"  
  
"Four hours buddy, the beginning of a new adventure for us all."  
  
"You bet!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 29, 2004  
Tampa Transatlantic Airport  
Tampa, Florida  
  
Kimberly glanced impatiently at her watch. The flight was being delayed due to tropical storms off the Keys that they want to avoid.   
  
"Relax, Kim." Janice said patting the petite brunette on the knees. "Trini will be there when you arrive, no matter how late you get."  
  
"I don't want her waiting alone in a huge airport."  
  
"I would hardly compare an international airport filled to the brim of every summer tourist and travel mongers to a dark alley way somewhere in the middle of New York City." Janice said with a sigh. "Oh look, I think your flight number just came up."  
  
"Where?" Sure enough, flight 356 just came up on the screen. "Oh they're boarding now!"  
  
"Okay then my dear," reaching around the big carry on Kimberly insisted on taking, Janice put her long athletic arms around her petite friend. "You take good care of yourself and call me when you've reached the airport. Keep in touch or I'll have to come up there and hurt you."  
  
Kimberly laughed and blinked back a sudden rush of tears. "I will, I promise. I love you."  
  
"Love you too." Janice let go and sighed. "Now get on that plane and don't look back or you'll have us both bawling our eyes out."  
  
"Thank, Janice. For everything."  
  
Kimberly walked slowly into the plane and found her seat. Picking up her cell, she dialed in a number and frowned as the machine picked up. "Trini, this is beginning to be a habit. I hope that you're just in the shower and not out all night again. Listen, I'm on the plane now. There's been a slight delay so looks like I'll be arriving in Newark maybe half an hour later than expected. You should think about being there around three thirty that should pretty much do it for me. I've only got two middle size suitcases, everything else is being shipped. Can't wait to see you. I'll call again when I've landed. Bye."  
  
She sighed and sat back to relax as she listened to the hum of the engine. This was going to be a whole new beginning.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 29, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Mr. Winkles? Jason glanced at the big potted rose bush and grinned at the silly ceramic frog that sat on the neatly tended potting soil. He felt slight bemused by the little things that Trini liked to keep in her life. Like the big black and white floppy stuffed dog she had sitting smack in the center of her bed the day before. Or the comical ceramic Dalmatian by the fish tank in her living room with its silly grin. And the big Bessie the cow cookie jar in her dining room. It all looked absolutely ridiculous but just right for white slightly wacky Trini.   
  
Pushing the door open, the paused long enough to glance around the pathway to the condo before replacing the key under Mr. Winkles. He'll have to remember to tell Trini to find a better place for that key. It was simply too easy for someone to accidentally stumble on to it.   
  
The shower was on full blast when he peeked into Trini's master bed and he grinned to himself. He rather enjoyed their shower together the other day and couldn't think of a more appropriate way to greet her this morning.   
  
"Hey there." Trini's arms slipped around Jason from behind before he had time to put his plan into action. "I thought it was you when the door opened. Did you find Mr. Winkles okay?"  
  
"Yeah," he turned and kissed the tip of her nose. "You should think about changing the place of that key. Anyone can get to it if you're not careful."  
  
"Don't worry. This is a rather quiet neighborhood. Nothing's going to happen. Besides, I can take care of myself." Trini was wearing her wonderfully short pale yellow bathrobe that she had pulled on as she had been on her way into the showers. "I was going to shower, you want to join me?"  
  
"You've read my mind."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 29, 2004  
Newark International Airport  
Newark, New Jersey  
  
Kimberly glanced worriedly at her watch. It was three twenty five and no sign of Trini anywhere. She was usually so prompt but traffic appeared to be somewhat clung from the view that Kimberly had of the roads leading to the terminal. There were simply too many people around and her slightness was not helping the situation.  
  
This was a job for her trusty cell phone. She wondered briefly as she dialed Trini's home how she ever survived without one. "Trini, I hope that you're not caught in traffic. On the other hands, I hope you're not sitting there listening to this message right now. I've arrived at the airport safe and sound and definitely in search of you. From the looks for things, the traffic is pretty heavy. And why haven't you gotten yourself a cell phone yet? This would be so much easier if you had one of your own. First thing tomorrow morning, we're heading into a cell phone store so you can get yourself one. Anyways, I'm headed for the baggage claims now. I hope to see you soon. Bye."  
  
With a sigh, Kimberly hung up the phone and groaned as she watched yet another airplane full of people disembarked from their aircraft. Why did everyone pick today of all days to travel! The whole point to picking a Tuesday to arrive was so she won't have to meet up with lots of traveler.   
  
Just as she was about to turn to walk away from the in coming crowd, a man in a dark gray suit caught her eye. He stood in slight profile to her with more of his back to her than his front. A neat black cell was head in his hand and pressed to his ears.   
  
Kimberly blinked in disbelief. "It can't be." The way the light hit the man's dark brown hair, he looked like....like..... He looked like Tommy. "No, it can't be." She shook her head and turned away. Now is not the time to allow your imagination to run away with you. Stay focused girl.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Tommy frowned at the phone as it continued to ring until the voice mail picked up. "Jase, my man, we are going to have to work on your phone answering skills. Seems like these day, all I do is call you and wait to talk to your voice mail. We're definitely going to have to work on that. I've just arrived at the airport and am heading toward the baggage claim now. Hopefully you're on your way so I don't have to lug these things around by myself for too long. See you when you get here."  
  
With a sigh and a quick check of his carry ons, Tommy turned and lost his breath. A young woman in a fresh tan color summer dress stood on the other side of the terminal with her back turned slightly turned to him. From here, Tommy could have sworn she looked exactly like a very old flame. The way her hair curved just above her shoulders and the way she held the big straw purse with her left hand, it was.....ridiculous for him to even think of the possibility that could be Kimberly.   
  
She was still in Florida somewhere enjoying her life with her boyfriend probably. Why would she of all people be in New Jersey, a backward little state with nothing to its name except petroleum oil and being close to New York. No, that's not Kimberly. It's just your wishful lonely heart paying a really bad trick on you, Tommy. Let her go already."  
  
With another sigh that was filled with ever lasting regret, Tommy moved toward the baggage claim.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Trini rushed down the airport terminal determined to be there at least soon enough to keep Kimberly from having to lug luggage that probably outweighed her. The traffic had been murderous due to a five car pile up at the New Jersey turn pike. It was awful what happens when one is not watching their speed and the other cars around them.  
  
She was definitely going to have to consider getting a cell phone as her mother continues to suggest. A cell phone was a girl stranded on an empty highway's best friend, or something to that effect. If she had a cell now, she could call Kimberly and find out if she had arrived on time and where the hell is she if she wasn't at the terminal.  
  
Skidding to a halt at the gate that Kimberly should have come out of, she took note of the emptiness of the place before determining that Kim probably went to get her stuff from baggage.   
  
Rounding a corner at a dead run, she collided with what felt like a brick wall. "Oh, I'm so sorry."  
  
"No, no, I'm sorry that... Trini?" Jason's look of disbelief was so ridiculous that Trini would have laughed if her ears weren't ringing. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to pick Kimberly up." She shook her head. "What are you doing there?"  
  
"Tommy. Same reason." A look of horror crossed his face. "Shit, you don't think that they..."  
  
"No way, the fates would not be so cruel." She glanced at the cell phone in Jason's hand. "When's Tommy's flight?"  
  
"Arrived ten minutes ago," Jason glanced about making sure his buddy wasn't around listening to this particular conversation. "Kim?"  
  
"Arrived already too. Baggage claim?"  
  
Jason rolled his eyes. "Oh no."  
  
"We should have warned them before now." Trini muttered. "But then who knew that they would have the same mind to arrive at the exact same day around the exact same time. It's like destiny decided to play a nice little hand that would conclude in scaring the daylights out of both of them."  
  
Jason nodded his agreement. "I can't believe this. Should we try to keep them away from one another if by some miracle they haven't seen each other yet?"  
  
Trini frowned. "I think we should. Preparing them would be a whole lot easier on their systems when they find out they will be living practically together when they aren't thrown together so suddenly like this. Besides, we really don't want a huge public scene do we?"  
  
"No," Jason shook his head. "Definitely not."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Kimberly grunted as she pulled hard on the handle of the pale tan color suitcase. The damn thing was heavy when she had to lug it to the airport in Tampa, and it was heavy now. Even the wheels on the side didn't help her pull it off the conveyer belt. If she couldn't pull it clear within the next few seconds, she was going to have to let go and allow the thing to go around once more before attempting to pull it free again.  
  
"Here, let me." Trini's hand shot pass Kimberly's and pulled the suitcase free with one hand over both of Kimberly's. "We are going to have to work on those muscles of yours."  
  
With a laugh, the two women threw their arms around each other and hugged furiously. Both began to babble on about everything and nothing at all as they pulled back to look at one another and what the years have done to them. Other than Trini's longer hair and a thinner frame, she looked the same. Kimberly's eyes sparkled and except for the more graceful do to her light brown hair; she looked every bit as pretty and charming as she had in their high school days.   
  
Travelers around the two girls stopped briefly to smile at the enthusiasm of the two young women whose pleasure at seeing each other was obvious.   
  
"Okay, we should get out this mad house." Trini said glancing over Kimberly's shoulder at Jason who nodded slightly before taking off to find the other member of this little unexpected twist of fate. "We should go home and get you unpacked. You look like you could use a stiff drink and a good pasta salad."  
  
"Sounds like a good idea." Kimberly sighed with relief. All she wanted right now was a hot bath and a glass of chilled wine to forget about her little lapse of remembering a certain ex from Angel Grove. "Oh here comes the other suitcase."  
  
"I've got it." Trini said and pulled the matching case out. "My car is down stairs and I..." she froze as a very familiar face appeared over Kimberly's shoulder. Holy shit! It's Tommy. "We should go this way and get you home." She motioned for Kimberly to follow her in the opposite direction while trying to avoid having Tommy look her way. Where the hell are you, Jason?   
  
~~~~~  
  
Jason panic for a moment when he spotted Tommy at the same moment he caught sight of Trini and Kimberly about to be swept into Tommy's field of vision. His old buddy may not be able to recognize Kimberly from the back but he sure as hell could identify Trini.  
  
Rushing toward, he grabbed Tommy's arm and swung him half way around and into a giant bear hug. "Tommy, my man. It's about time you got here." Jason caught Trini's eyes just as she pulled Kimberly away. They exchanged looks of relief that said close call.  
  
"Jason!" Tommy's arm came around his best friend just as fierce. "It's so good to see you again!"  
  
"Like wise my man." Jason grinned from both seeing him and from the near disaster. "I see you finally cut your hair!"  
  
"Shut up," Tommy laughed with good nature. "Can't exactly be wearing a ponytail when you're trying to go for the professional, serious, know-what-they-are-doing look."  
  
"I'll say." They headed for the conveyer belt where dozens of luggage were still making the rounds. "Where's you're stuff?"   
  
"Haven't gotten it yet." Tommy explained as they reached for a pushcart. "There it is!"  
  
In quick procession, they got Tommy's two big suitcases and headed off toward Jason's 4x4. The ride began rather quietly, something obviously occupying Tommy's mind. Jason didn't mind being ignored as he kept an eye out for Trini and her little black convertible. It wasn't until they hit the highway back to East Brunswick that Jason ventured the question.  
  
"What's up man?"  
  
"Nothing," Tommy sighed. "Everything."  
  
"Okay, this sounds serious." Jason kept his eyes on the road but took quick glances at Tommy's profile, which seemed to have been etched with little lines of fatigue. "Talk to me, Tommy. What's going on to get you so down?"  
  
"Nothing really." Tommy frowned at the little white care in front of them for no apparent reason. "Ever have one of those moments when a little thing just reminded you of something else in your life that you would rather not dwell upon?"  
  
"Sure, I can't seem to look at toilet paper the same way since we T.P.ed coach Sander's house for Halloween." Jason said in an attempt to lighten the mood a little.   
  
Tommy laughed remembering the expression on the coach's face when he finally figured out who had been the practical jokers. "I'll never forget Mrs. Beel's face when she saw us in detention. Thank goodness the coach had a sense of humor and we only had to spend that one afternoon in there."  
  
"Yeah. Those were the good old days." Jason said knowing that eventually, they will have to get back to the problem at hand. "You were saying?"  
  
That sobered Tommy up real quick. "Old regrets."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Kimberly."  
  
Had Jason been drinking water, he would have hose down the his dashboard sputtering. "Really? Funny that you should mention that."  
  
Tommy shook his head. "I know that it's been years and there have been others since high school and.... Ah hell."  
  
Jason glanced quickly at the obviously distressed man. "What brought it?"  
  
"There was this woman," Tommy recalled with a smile. "At the airport. She had her back to me and was wearing this tan color flowery dress. If I didn't know better, I could have sworn it was Kimberly." He sighed and laughed at himself. "Stupid, huh?"  
  
Ironies in life were never one of Jason's favorite things. He seemed to recall that Kimberly had been wearing a rather pretty tan color dress with little soft color flowers on it. "Not quite so stupid."  
  
Tommy frowned at Jason's tone and looked at his friend who was in turn frowning as well. "What do you mean?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Teaser line from next chapter: "You could just jump into bed together and get it over with."  
  



	8. Reactions

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgments: For everyone that reads and responds to this story. I'm sorry this is taking so long, but it got a whole lot more complicated than I had expected. Special thanks to Angie, you're the best girl and don't you ever let anyone tell you other wise. By the way, when you do want me and the girls to go beat up your ex for you?  
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Eight  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 29, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Kimberly sighed as she took a seat on the couch across from Trini who was feeding her six very color tropical fishes. "A hot shower does wonders for a woman these days."  
  
"I thought you would enjoy it. Leave the unpacking for later. Besides, you won't need you dress suits for another couple of days. When do you start again?"  
  
"Monday."  
  
"So soon?" Trini sat down beside her friend and pour the lemonade she had chilling in the frig before. "I thought you would at least get another week."  
  
"No, I'm afraid they need me rather urgently. The partying will have to wait." She smiled.  
  
"Would you be feeling up to a BBQ in a couple of days?"  
  
"What?" Kimberly's brows shot up in surprise.   
  
"Friday, there's to be a small gathering of friends that I would like the two of us to go to." Trini smiled rather reassuringly and hope to god that Kimberly doesn't bite her head off when she tells her who will be at this little social get together.  
  
"Old colleagues?" Kimberly asked gratefully taking a small sip of the wonderfully tangy lemonade.  
  
"Old friends. Our friends."  
  
"Our friends?" She turned to look at Trini with a slight frown marring her brows. "What friends?"  
  
Trini got up and paced. "Did you know that Jason just took a new job in New York and bought a house around here?"  
  
"No, I didn't." Kimberly sat the tall glass down slowly on the oak coffee table. "Jason lives around here?"  
  
"Yeah," Trini nodded avoiding Kim's eyes by a mile. "He moved in on Sunday."  
  
"Sunday." Kimberly frowned in consideration then smiled in relaxation. "So Jason is but a couple of miles away? That's wonderful."  
  
Trini nodded her head in enthusiasm. "I'm glad that you feel that way. But that's not the end of the story."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Well, apparently the fates have decided to reunite some of the old rangers."  
  
Kimberly's guts went cold as she remembered the profiled man from the airport that reminded her just a little too much of someone she knew only too well. "Which old rangers?"  
  
"Billy is coming in about a month to live with Jason."  
  
"That's great." She held the cautious tone steady. "And?"  
  
"Adam and Rocky arrived yesterday."  
  
She nodded in response knowing that look in Trini's eyes. Lawyer Trini may be but a good liar she is not. "What else?"  
  
"Tommy arrived today."  
  
"Tommy? Today?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"When today?"  
  
"His flight arrived at 3:30 this afternoon."  
  
"About the time that my plane arrived?"  
  
"That would be correct." Trini watched Kimberly's eyes and realized that there was something there. "You saw him didn't you?"  
  
"I didn't think it was him." Shutting her eyes, Kimberly pray to god that this was some bad dream. "Why didn't you..."  
  
"I thought it would be better to tell you in person." Trini swallowed and watched her friend slowly digest the information. "You okay?"  
  
With a sigh that came from somewhere deep down, Kimberly shook her head. "Oh god, so much for a new start."  
  
"Don't say that." Trini came over and sat down next to her friend and put a comforting arm around the petite young woman. "This could be a good thing."  
  
"How can living a few miles away from my ex boyfriend be a good thing." She turned to look at her with somewhat accusing eyes. "And you should have told me sooner."  
  
"Hey, I didn't know until Sunday night."  
  
"Trini!"  
  
"Plus I figured that if I told you, you might change your mind about moving here."  
  
"Trini!"  
  
"Come on, Kim. It's going to be okay."  
  
"How far?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"How far away does he live?"  
  
Trini hesitated. "Three blocks."  
  
"WHAT?!?"  
  
"Now, calm down."  
  
"Calm down?" Kimberly shot out of the chair and paced the length of the living room. "He's within spitting distance and I'm suppose to calm down?"  
  
"You losing it."   
  
"You better believe that I'm losing it. Trini, how could you not tell me about this? What if I had ran into him today? Can you imagine me just standing there looking like a complete jackass staring at him like he was the bloody ghost of Christmas past? Cause I sure the hell can."  
  
Trini got up and poured some wonderfully expensive Brandy into a shifter and forced it into Kimberly's hand. "Drink."  
  
Kimberly downed it in one gulp and came up sputtering. "What was that?"  
  
"Brandy," Trini said pouring her another one. "It'll help calm your nerves cause you're obviously losing your mind right now. I'd make you some tea with belladonna but I don't think that would be a good idea right now."  
  
With a groan, Kimberly put the glass down and flopped onto the couch again. "You know what? This is so what I don't need in my life right now. The ex boyfriend that I dumped over a letter is about the last person on earth I want to be in contact with right now." The was a long pause before she sat up slowly and looked at Trini. "Does he know?"  
  
"Know?" Trini lost the line of conversation for a moment. "Oh. No, he doesn't. Jason should be telling him right about now."  
  
"Oh god."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 29, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I hope to god you have something stronger than milk in your house right now or I think I may have to strangle you to death!" Tommy announced as he pulled one of his suitcases through the front door.  
  
"Well," Adam mused as he stood at the foot of the stairs. "That's a fine how-do-you-do!"  
  
Tommy gave him a tight lipped smiled. "Adam, as good it is to see you right now, I'm not in the mood." Then stocked off toward the dinning room where he knew that Jason probably kept his hard liquors.   
  
Jason was shaking his head as he came through the door dragging the other suitcase behind him. "Don't pay him any attention, Adam. He's just in a foul mood."  
  
"What happened?" Rocky asked as he came in and caught the tail end of the conversation.   
  
"Jason!" Tommy called from the dinning room. "Can I open up your whiskey?" Polite as always.  
  
"Considering it's either opening up the whiskey or you tearing off my head, I'd say go for it." Jason called back before shutting the door.  
  
"What's got his boxers in a bunch?" Adam asked as they headed toward the dinning room just in time to see Tommy tip the bottle over his mouth and drink deeply. "Whoa! Tommy, slow down before you flood your system with too much of that stuff."  
  
Tommy ignored the warning from the good doctor and continued to down as much as Jason's fine Skye whiskey as he could at once. After putting about half the bottle away, Tommy sighed and collapsed into the nearest chair. He could feel the velvety warmth all the way to his toes.  
  
"Okay," Rocky eyed their former leader cautiously. "Should I ask what the problem is?"  
  
Tommy, who had his eyes closed and was leaning back on the chair, finally spoke after a while. "Okay, Jason. You want to tell me that thing again?"  
  
"Kimberly lives three blocks from here and Trini is bring her over for the BBQ on Friday." Jason said casually as he poured himself a shot of whiskey. "Was that what you wanted clarification on?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it."  
  
Adam and Rocky stared at Jason. "Wait, Trini and Kim are around?"  
  
"Living three blocks away." Jason said with a grin.  
  
"Whoa..." Rocky's eyes went wide with surprise. "That was unexpected!" His eyes went to Tommy who still sat with his eyes closed and his hands resting on his belly. "You all right, Tommy?"  
  
"Define all right." Tommy muttered. "And Jason, that's a damn dirty trick to be playing on your best friend."  
  
"What trick?" Jason said all wide-eyed innocent. "Billy and Trini informed me on Sunday when I arrived. By that time, I figure it would be pointless to warn you over the phone. Figured that you probably wanted to hear from me face to face. It's not like this news would have effected your decision to move in with me."  
  
"The hell it won't," Tommy sat up and looked at Jason with sharp eyes that was slowly beginning to feel the effects of strong liquor on an empty stomach. "You know how I felt about the girl. And you know that she is the one thorn in my life that I have never quite pulled out completely."  
  
"Well, now is your chance." Adam took a seat next to his friend and reached for the bottle as well. AS a doctor, he really shouldn't be doing this knowing the effect it would have on human liver. But since this was a rather interesting situation and they were kind of celebrating the arrival of old friends, what the heck! You only live once. "You need to clear this from you system. With Kim only a couple of blocks away, you two are going to have to work through whatever is still going on between the two of you."  
  
"Or," Rocky suggested with a grin as he poured a shot of whiskey for himself and hissed as the sharp edge of the alcohol hit his system. "You could just jump into bed together and get it over with."  
  
"Rocky!" Adam punched his friend lightly on the arm. "What's the matter with you!"  
  
"What?!?" Befuddled at what the problem was. "Seriously! The thing that is biting at Tommy is that he has lingering sexual desire toward Kimberly. The one that got away mentality. Once they hit the sheets, that will go away and everything will be good again."  
  
Jason almost laughed but thought better of it when Tommy's darkness visited Rocky with that little comment. "Well, whatever is still left between Kim and Tommy will have to come to head by Friday. BBQ is going to happen if I have to eat everything by myself."  
  
"With Rocky around," Adam grinned with amusement. "Trust me when I say that you will never have to worry about leftovers."  
  
"Hey!" Rocky protested. "I'm a going boy."  
  
Adam laughed. "Yeah, horizontally."  
  
Tommy was only half listening to the bantering of his friends. His mind was more occupied with the image of the young woman in the tan color dress at the airport. She had been petite, slim, and fresh as a daisy. That image is going to haunt him until Friday, he just know it. Who would have thought that the fates would have such twisted sense of humor? The one girl he could never get out of his mind is here in the same freakin' town that he has just moved into. On the same day no less. If that is not a twist of fate, he wasn't sure what was!  
  
"What's for dinner?"  
  
"Dinner already?"  
  
"I vote for pizza!"  
  
"No way."  
  
"Pasta?"  
  
"Do we have anything in the frig?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 29, 2004  
William Cranston's Resident  
357 Wilshire Blvd. #3D  
St. Louis, Missouri  
  
Billy glanced at the clock and put down the file he had been reading. By his calculations, Tommy and Kimberly should have arrived in Newark Airport some two or three hours ago. He wondered briefly how that was going and whether or not their respective roommates have told them of each other's arrival. Life, it really does read stranger than fiction.  
  
"Brrrriiiinnnnggggg...."  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Billy?"  
  
"Hey, Aisha! What's up?"  
  
"Calling to see how everything was."  
  
"I'm doing great. How are you?"  
  
"In Africa trying to avoid the pesky mosquitoes. You know, the same old same old. How are you?"  
  
"Finishing up a project and getting ready to move."  
  
"You too?"  
  
"What do you mean me too? You hear the others as well?"  
  
"Yeah, talk to Adam a week ago."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I think this is a great idea."  
  
"Want in?"  
  
"Maybe when Tanya and I get back to the US."  
  
"And when will that be? We miss you."  
  
"Not for at least a month or two."  
  
"Well, Jason says he's got plenty of room at his place if you need a pad to crash for a while."  
  
"Good old Jason. We'll keep that in mind."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Heard from Kat the other day."  
  
"Really?" Billy know what was coming now.  
  
"Tommy and Kimberly, huh?"  
  
"Living in the same city. Who could have predicted that?"  
  
"Everyone else on the old team."  
  
Billy laughed. "Okay, I give you that. But just because they are living in close proximity does not guarantee that they will automatically gravitate toward one another."  
  
"Billy, who are you kidding? This is Tommy and Kimberly we're talking about here. Those two were so hot and heavy together when Kimberly left for Pan Global and even after that. If you ask me, something was up when the letter came and I'm not talking about Kim's supposed boyfriend. Tommy and Kat were good together but let's face it, if Tommy and Kat were a nice warm fuzzy fire, Kimberly and Tommy were Mt. Saint Helen."  
  
"Okay, okay, I got it. But let's not put more to this that what is there right now. For all we know, those two have resolved thing between them."  
  
"Ha! If those two don't hit the sheets by the end of this year, I'll eat my mud-caked boots."  
  
Billy sighed. "What is it with you girls and these predictions!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Teaser line from next chapter: "I'm going to take Kimberly to the mall. She doesn't have a thing to wear though the closet full of clothes says otherwise."  



	9. Nerves of Steel

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Okay, this one is for the two Shawns (Gemini and Ozmandayus). Thanks for all the inspiration.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Nine  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 30, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Kimberly tossed the dress into the closet without bothering to look at it or hanging it up. She was in an absolute panic. "Trini! I need to go to the mall. I don't have anything to wear!"  
  
"Calm down, Kim. What about that purple dress?"  
  
"Too old."  
  
"The green one with the gold..."  
  
"Make me look sick."  
  
"The red one with little flower things."  
  
"Too short."  
  
"That brown leather one."  
  
"Makes me look fat."  
  
"That pink glossy thing."  
  
"This one? No, it's too....pink ranger like."  
  
Trini grinned and sighed. "I'll get the car."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
June 30, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"JASON!"  
  
"WHAT DO YOU WANT TOMMY?" Jason called back from the foot of the second floor stairway.  
  
"WHERE'S YOUR WASHING MACHINE?"  
  
"I DON'T HAVE ONE YET. IT'S SUPPOSE TO ARRIVE TOMORROW."  
  
"YOU DON'T HAVE ONE?"  
  
"RELAX WILL YOU. THERE'S A LAUNDRY PLACE A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM HERE."  
  
"CAN YOU TAKE ME UNTIL MY CAR ARRIVES?"  
  
"SURE, GIVE ME A MINUTE TO MAKE A PHONE CALL."  
  
"ALL RIGHT."  
  
"WHY DO YOU NEED TO WASH CLOTHES NOW?"  
  
"I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WEAR."  
  
"But..." Jason stopped himself. He remembered several very nicely pressed suits and a truck full of cloth perfectly fine. But then again, that wasn't the problem. Tommy was nervous about Friday. If doing his laundry will help to calm his nerves than they'll do laundry. Punching in a number, he waited patiently.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Angel, how are you doing?"  
  
Trini laughed. "I'm going to take Kimberly to the mall. She doesn't have a thing to wear though the closet full of clothes says otherwise."  
  
Jason chuckled. "Her too?"   
  
"Tommy going nuts on you?"  
  
"What else do you expect?"  
  
The former yellow ranger giggled. "Our friends are becoming complete idiots over just the thought of having to face each other. I can't wait to see what actually happens."  
  
"Me either. I haven't seen Tommy this nervous since that championship tournament he had to participate after that broken arm incident." Jason sat down on the bed and pulled the phone over. He had some trouble sleeping the night before remembering the way she looked in his bed. "I missed you."  
  
"Me too. We'll have to see about making arrangements to go do some...jogging together." She suggested.  
  
"Sounds like an idea."  
  
"Okay, I better go save what's left of Kimberly's wardrobe before she tears it apart. I'll call you later tonight."  
  
"Sure, Angel. Talk to you later."  
  
Jason hung up the phone with a smile. He was surprised that he missed her so much. There was always something about the way she made him feel that he missed over the years. They were definitely going to have to arrange get together soon.   
  
"JASON, LET'S GO!"  
  
With a sigh, Jason got up to leave. It was going to be two very long days.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 1, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Lemon marinade pie?" Trini asked with grave doubt. "Do you even know to make a pie, Kim?"  
  
"Technically, no." Kimberly said as she wiped her hands on the flour stained apron she was wearing. "But how hard could it possibly be?"  
  
With a concern look for her usually tidy kitchen not to mention her array of wonderful cooking ware, Trini looked over at the counter. "Why the sudden need to make a pie?"  
  
"Well, you said that strawberry swirl ice cream was Jason's favorite so you were going to bring it. It ought I would make a pie and bring that." Kimberly flipped through the cookbook quickly sure that she had seen a recipe for lemon marinade in here somewhere. Trini had a rather large and wonderful collection of cookbooks in her kitchen cabinet.   
  
"Do I even need to ask whose favorite lemon marinade is?"  
  
Kimberly growled at her. "Wipe that smirk off your face."  
  
"Sorry." Trini looked around the kitchen noting that Kimberly obviously knew next to nothing about cooking much less baking. "Want some help?"  
  
"Could you?" She asked pleadingly. "I have no idea what 'gently fold in three eggs' means."  
  
With a grin, Trini tied on an apron over her neat summer dress. "Didn't I tell you that the cooking class in high school was going to come in handy some day? But did you listen to me? No."  
  
"Don't lecture." Kimberly said with a groan. "I'm totally regretting some things in my past."  
  
"Such as?" Separating the yoke from the white, Trini quickly whipped things into shape.   
  
"Lots of things." Kimberly leaned against the counter and was content to allow Trini to take over the whole process since the girl obviously knew what she was doing without having to consult the book still in Kim's hands.   
  
"You okay about this, Kim? I'm not going to force the issue if you feel that you are not ready."  
  
"No, I have to do this."   
  
"Okay, you know that I'm behind you a hundred percent."  
  
"Thanks buddy."  
  
"Now, I would like to know what Adam and Rocky likes. It's going to look kind of suspicious if you show up with your ex's favorite dessert."  
  
Kimberly winced when the realization came into mind. "Oh."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 1, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason frowned, as he looked at all the pots on the kitchen island. "Okay, chicken for Trini and Adam, and beef for the rest of us."  
  
"What about vegetables?" Adam asked as he poured more soil sauce into the pot filled with chicken for marinating. "You know that you're going to need some."  
  
"I've got corn in the frig and kabobs of tomato, mushroom, and pepper. What else?" Jason looked at the list in his hand.  
  
"Bread?" Rocky suggested.  
  
"Do we need it?"  
  
"Not unless we're doing hamburgers. Are we?" Adam asked.  
  
"Hot dogs." Tommy suggested suddenly. "We need hot dogs."  
  
"Hot dogs?" Adam made a face. "Do you know what they put in those things? Why would you want to put that junk in your system? Even hamburgers are better than..."  
  
"No," Tommy said firmly as he grabbed his keys from the key rack that Jason had put up. "We need to get hot dogs. I'll be back."  
  
"Grab some soda while you're at it." Jason called after him.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Adam and Rocky waited until they heard Tommy's newly arrived explore roar off the driveway.  
  
"Okay, what was that?" Rocky asked with a shake of his head. "No body wants hot dogs that bad."  
  
Jason chuckled. "It's Kimberly's favorite Bar-Be-Que picnic food."  
  
It made perfect sense now.  
  
"Salad?"  
  
"Got it."  
  
"Chips?"  
  
"Top cabinet."  
  
"Salsa?"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 1, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Trini's hand was poised over the small pot with a big wooden spoon in one hand and the lid in the other. The chocolate sauce was almost ready for the éclairs. Once Trini Kwan got started on dessert food, look out! On the dinning room table now sat a beautiful lemon marinade pie, six apple tarts with Davonshire cream on the side, a New York cheesecake she had learned to make from an old co-worker dripping with strawberry sauce, and a dozen sweet cream filled éclairs cooling and waiting for the chocolate sauce.   
  
Stirring the heavy rich chocolate with one hand, she glanced at the clock. It was almost nine o'clock in the evening. Kimberly had been right when she said that Trini had become obsessed in her cooking.   
  
Turning off the stove, Trini continued to stir the chocolate as she moved to the other room and slowly poured it on to the waiting éclairs and noted the time. Fifteen minutes at room temperature and then it was into the frig for an over night chilling. She frowned. She sincerely hoped that there was room in there for everything she's baked this afternoon. It would be a shame to leave any of it behind.  
  
"TRINI!" Kimberly called from upstairs. "PHONE!"  
  
"I GOT IT!" Trini replied at the top of her lungs. "Hello?"  
  
"Do you girls always yell at each other in the house?"   
  
Trini grinned at the amused tone in Jason's voice. "No, it's a secret code we use there's a really hot guy on the phone. How are you doing?"  
  
"Good." Jason leaned against his bedpost. "Tommy just about drove us all crazy today with his trips back and forth from the market to get stuff but we managed to survive without killing him. How about you?"  
  
"Well, Kimberly made a mess out of my kitchen which I had to clean up before doing any kind of work in there. She had this sudden urge to make pie for a certain person we both know, only she didn't know that first thing about baking. Oh, and you'll be happy to know that I made all the dessert baking so there will be no need to worry about food poisoning."   
  
Jason chuckled softly. "Thank goodness."  
  
"What are we going to do with those two?"  
  
"Lock them in somewhere together until they work out their problems."  
  
"I vote for your sauna. And if they protest, we turn up the heat." Trini sat down slowly in a chair feeling the muscles in her back scream in protest. She had definitely been standing at the stove for way too long.  
  
"There's a real machiavellian streak in you, Angel. You scare me."  
  
"Thank you, I try."   
  
"What are wearing right now?"  
  
Trini smiled into the phone and glanced at the door just in case Kimberly had decided to come downstairs to check up on her again. "An apron."  
  
"Just an apron?" Jason teased already picturing her in nothing but an apron, and not the kind his mother use to use either. He groaned inwardly as he realized that he was not going to be getting a good night's sleep if he kept that image in mind. Damn! Too late.  
  
"Won't you like to know!" She teased with a grin as she got up again. The desserts were going to have to go into the frig before she did anything else. "What are you wearing?"  
  
Jason smirked and decided to give some back. "I just showered. What do you think I'm wearing?"  
  
Trini rolled her eyes as she picked up the tray of tarts and éclairs. Men, they are so predictable. "Drops of water and a towel way too short to do any good, and smirk on your face. Though if it were up to me, you'd be wearing me right now."  
  
Jason's eyes crossed. "Oh man, you're way too good at this."  
  
Trini laughed out loud. She pushed the pie and cheesecake in and pushed the carrot sticks out. "I'm betting someone needs another shower now, a really cold one this time."  
  
"You're an evil and cruel woman, Trini Kwan."  
  
"I strive only to be the best." She shut the door with her hip and went to the sink. The only thing she wanted to do right now was get her hands on his wonderfully male body. "Want to know what I've got in my mind right now?"  
  
Jason was almost afraid to ask. At the rate she was going, he really was going to need another shower, a sub-zero one. "What?"   
  
"That you have a really nice gazebo turned sauna that no one is using right now." The cold water on her hand reminded her that she needed to shower up before heading to bed. But right now, she had no desire to sleep yet.  
  
"You want to use the sauna now?" His mind went into shut down. "Isn't it getting kind of late?"  
  
"I didn't say I wanted to use the sauna, you silly. I merely thought that there is a very clean, nice, private place, where no one is using right now and it's away from the house and no one would ever think that anything un..."  
  
"I get it." His body told him that there was no way in hell that it was going to bed without some kind of relief now. "Think you can sneak over without Kim realizing it?"  
  
"Oh ye have little faith. I'll see you there in twenty minutes." Trini clicked off the phone and dried her hands on the towel hung on the bar across the oven. Racing up the stairs, she pulled on a pair of sweats and an oversized sweatshirt. Grabbing white socks out of the draws, she hopped over to Kim's room while trying to put the socks on at the same time. "Kim, I'm going to go jogging. Be back in a hour or so."  
  
"Jogging?" Kimberly looked at her as if Trini had just announced that she was going to shave her head. "At this hour?"  
  
"Best time to run?"  
  
"Isn't it kind of dangerous?" Kimberly frowned and glanced out the darkened window. "Maybe you..."  
  
"Don't worry, I've done this plenty of times and it's not like I can't handle myself. I've just got so much energy to work off right now. I'll be back before you know it." With a quick smile, Trini headed downstairs.  
  
"TRINI!" Kimberly scrambled off her bed and followed her. "I don't think this is a wise idea."  
  
"Relax, this isn't some big city. We're in the countryside. Hardly anyone is out after dark and I'm pretty equipped to take care of myself. I've got a whistle and mace on my key chain. I'll be fine. Go to bed, you must be tired by now."  
  
"Trini..." Kimberly started again as she watched Trini tie the laces on her running shoes. "At least let me go with you."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, you're dressed for bed and obviously you want to get your beauty rest so you can wow a certain former white ranger that we both know." Trini winked as she started to stretch out in the foyer. She had every intention to go jogging...all the way to Jason's place anyways. Then it will be another kind of exercise that she'll be interested in.   
  
Kimberly bristled with indignation and embarrassment. "You're impossible, you know that?"  
  
"I certainly try to be." Trini laughed as she pulled the front door open. "Lock up behind me. And don't wait up. I'll be fine."  
  
Kimberly sighed and shook her head as Trini disappeared into the darkness. Locking up, she had to wonder at Trini sometimes. Her friend has certainly come into her own. The shy young girl she knew in school had grown up to be a mature and fun-loving beautiful young woman with her life in control. So unlike her own.   
  
"New start, Kimberly." She said to herself as she headed back up stairs. "This is going to be a new start for you. Don't look back, no regrets. I can do this."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 1, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
The steady tapping of fingernails in wood announced Trini's arrival. Jason grinned as he pulled the door open, her in, and shut it again quickly. He was infinitely glad that the guys were all still jetlagged and needed to go to bed early. It was just him and her now.  
  
"Hello!" Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck and pulled him closed for a kiss that scorched his soles. "As you can see, I didn't exactly dress up for the occasion since I figure you'd be getting me out of these pretty quickly anyways."  
  
"Trust me, you can wear whatever you like and I'd still think you were sexy." His hands outlined the curves of her body slowly. "Any trouble getting here?"  
  
"None at all," she stripped him of his t-shirt. "I just told her what you told the guys, I'm going for a jog."  
  
"And she bought that, at this time of day?" Jason asked rather incredulously as she tugged at the belt around his waist. "Boy, I knew that you were a good lawyer and all but..." he grunted as he fist tapped against his stomach.   
  
"Keep it, Mr. Architect, and I'll make sure you don't walk tomorrow."  
  
Jason grinned at the double implication of that little statement. "You promise?"  
  
She chuckled softy and looked around. Jason had thoughtfully strategically placed several candles on the upper benches for effect. "Nice."  
  
"I thought you would appreciate it." His lips glazed the side of her throat. "Excited about tomorrow?"  
  
"It is going to be very interesting." She sighed as his hands slipped beneath her sweatshirt. "But I'm not half as excited about tomorrow as I am about that's going to happen tonight."  
  
"Hum..." He could taste the dessert she had been making early on her fingertips as he sucked her thumb into his mouth. "Now you're talking."  
  
"You going to make this interesting?" Trini took little nips at his shoulder with her teeth.   
  
Jason almost laughed out loud before he captured her lips again. "I'll strive to make sure you're not bored, I promise."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Okay, how many of you absolutely hate me now for keeping you all waiting. I promise, the next chapter will be a payoff when Tommy and Kimberly meet face to face. Hung on to your seats guys cause it's going to be a real bumpy ride. All responses to the writing will be greatly appreciated.   
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "I think I would feel better knowing he would make a scene. It at least gives me some clue as to now this is going to go down."  



	10. First Time

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Okay, this chapter is for Hanspam and Morgan. You guys always read my stuff and I'm so grateful for all the feedback that I get. Hanspam, I'm sorry that I erased your last review, but the chapters got messed up and to delete the chapter was to delete the review, I feel terrible about that. Morgan, your stories encourage me to do my best cause yours are always so well written. Thanks. I hope you both, and everyone else, like this chapter.   
  
Note: This was a really had chapter to write. I'm sorry if it's a let down for some people. I'll try to make up for it in other chapters, I promise.  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Ten  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 2, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Kimberly bit her lip as they approached the house. Her knees were trembling at the thought of seeing him again. It was hard enough just imaging it, but for it to actually be.... No she was not going to think too hard on this. It's just a get together of friends.  
  
"You just going to stand there or are you going to go in?" Trini asked in her usual teasing tone when it came to Kimberly's unfounded fears on meeting with Tommy again. "The party is in there you know."  
  
"I'm working up my nerves." Kimberly said honestly.  
  
Trini sighed and shifted the big foil covered plate. "Don't be silly. You know everything is going to be fine. Tommy is too much of a gentleman to make a scene."  
  
Kim made a face. "I think I would feel better knowing he would make a scene. It at least gives me some clue as to now this is going to go down."  
  
"Kim," Trini looked at her seriously now. "You're not ready for this, are you?"  
  
Sober eyes met. "I'm not sure."  
  
"You want to turn back?" It was a genuine offer and Kimberly realizes it.  
  
"No," she shook her head in determination. "No, I have to face him sooner or later. I can do this."  
  
"No one will think less of you if you feel that you're not ready to face him. I know that if it were me, I won't be ready either."  
  
Kimberly grinned. "Trini, if it were you, you won't have broken up with him in the first place." She almost laughed as she remembered several conversations in the past. "In fact, I seem to recall that you were rather forceful in some of your earlier relationships with guys."  
  
Trini sighed. "Some people just don't know when to let go." She could remember several of them not willing to let go. She must have gone to the police more than a couple of times to get restraining orders on some of them. "For now, Trini Kwan will not be in anything seriously. Sex I can do, relationships is a whole other story."  
  
"Trini," Kimberly frowned. Trini's inability to fall in love with any of the guys that wanted to either marry her, worship her, or have children with her has give her a fear of serious relationships. Kimberly had once wondered briefly if Trini could have a commitment phobia. But dismissed it almost as soon as the idea came into her head. No one can force a person to fall in love. And so far, Trini has yet to be bitten by the bug that seems to be itching to get out on Kimberly's part. "We'll talk about this some other time. But we will talk about it."  
  
Trini shrugged her shoulders. "Not much to talk about." He looked at the beautiful house again. "Isn't it just too perfect?"  
  
Kimberly smile seeing the excitement in Trini's eyes. "Yeah, Jason found a real gem here."  
  
"I know he did some work on it before moving it, but he's kept a lot of the old style. It's so wonderful."  
  
"I can see you're already in love with it."  
  
"Someday, I want one just like it." Trini smiled at her friend. "And of course you can move in with me again if you haven't married your dream boat in there."  
  
"Shut up." Kimberly laughed.  
  
"Ready to go in?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Coward."  
  
"You better believe it."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
Adam sighed as he reached for the first aid kit again. "Rocky, why don't you just let Jason do it. If you keep this up, I'm going to run out of burn cream."  
  
Rocky frowned as he held out his burnt finger for Adam to take care of yet again. "Any fool can start a grill."  
  
"Except you." Adam replied with a smile.   
  
"I'm going to do this if it kills me."   
  
"At the rate you're going, it just might."   
  
"Hey now, no fighting." Trini admonished as she came around the corner after talking Kimberly into sneaking in by the side instead of ringing the bell and risk having Tommy open the door. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion."  
  
"It won't be if Rocky ends up the hospital with second degree burns." Adam laughed as he reached Trini in three short strides. "Oh my god, Trini! I can't believe you're here!"   
  
Adam caught her in a hug and swung her around just as Jason came through the back door. Trini laughed as Adam pressed a sugary smacking kiss on her cheek before setting her down on her feet again. "Well, it's good to see you too."  
  
"The more the merry is what I always say!" Rocky called out as he too moved to give Trini a hug worthy of a bear. "Damn woman, you look good enough to eat!"  
  
"Well for both our sakes, why don't sink your teeth the cheesecake I made you instead." Trini grinned before pushing away from him.  
  
"You made me cheesecake?"   
  
"Kim said it was your favorite."   
  
Rocky reached over and wrapped his arms around Kim just as she sat down the pie on the big picnic table set up. "Kimberly, you are a goddess." He was quickly joined by Adam who wanted to give a hug as well.   
  
Kim laughed as she found herself sandwiched between two of her former power rangers. "Hey guys, knock it off."   
  
"Kimberly," Adam said quietly as he pulled back and turned her toward him. "We've missed you."  
  
"I've missed you guys as well." Kimberly smiled solemnly. "More than I realized until this moment."  
  
"Well you have us here now." Rocky said with a grin and dipped his finger into the Devonshire cream that Trini brought for the tarts. "And with cooking like this, you'll always be welcome here."  
  
Trini rolled her eyes and picked up the pie to go to the kitchen when she spotted Jason make his way to her. "JASON!" She put the pie down and rushed into his arms as if greeting him for the first time in years.   
  
He caught her close and buried his face into her long ebony hair. Leaning his mouth toward her ear, he whispered, " If Adam kisses you one more time, I'm going to rip his arm off and beat him over the head with the severed limb."  
  
Trini laughed uproariously as she pulled back. "It's good to see you too." Her eyes twinkled with amusement.  
  
Jason nodded his head but held his tongue. She thinks I'm kidding. He wasn't. The red hot emotion of jealously had been like a fist in the guts. He didn't think he could ever feel that way but there it was, threatening to rip his guts out with it. He knew logically that Adam was just being playful and that he had nothing to worry about. But still.... This was supposed to be a simple affair between two people. It's just sex, isn't it? A problem to ponder at another time. "Kimberly!"  
  
"Jason," Kimberly flew into his arms with a grateful sigh. Jason was like the big brother that she never had all through elementary school, junior high, and then high school. Just seeing him made her think of home and all the comforts there. "It's so good to see you again."  
  
"Likewise Kimmy." She looked too pale in his opinion. But then again, it's been a while since any one of them had the benefit of the California sun. "You are looking very trim and pretty. What have you been doing with yourself?"  
  
"Conversation, later. Grill, now." Rocky interrupted.   
  
"If we can ever get that grill started." Adam added as he moved to put away the first aid kit.   
  
"Oh I'll get it," Trini offered taking the big matchbox from the table.  
  
"No, I..." Rocky began but fell back as he watch Trini stuck a match and lower it toward the coals easily. The stubborn black coals that refused to lit for him warmed to Trini's touch and started easily. "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle."  
  
Adam grinned. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you start a grill."  
  
The others laughed while Rocky stood there dumbfound. Jason shook his head and noted the shadow in the window. "Hey Kim, why don't you put the cheesecake and ice cream in the frig?"  
  
"Oh okay," she picked up the bucket with one and the cheesecake in the other. "Where's the kitchen?"  
  
"Right through the back door." Jason pointed out for her. "Frig is on your left."  
  
"Be right back," she said as she took off toward the door.  
  
"Oh," Trini looked at the pie and tarts. "Maybe we should..." She was cut off by Jason's hand over her mouth.   
  
"Not yet." He said simply before taking his hand away.   
  
She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "He's in there, isn't he?"  
  
He threw back a I-innocent look. "Your guess is as good as mine."  
  
Trini grinned and rolled her eyes. Rocky and Adam exchanged amused glances. Jason merely sat down and picked up a wonderful apple tart made by Trini.   
  
~~~~~  
  
Tommy felt as if someone just drove a semi truck into his chest. Oh lord! He had been coming out of Jason's walk-in cabinet where the man has stocked everything from chips to fine wine when he spotted her standing thoughtfully in front of the giant stainless-steel refrigerator.   
  
She was ever bit as beautiful as he had dreamed of all these years apart. She was slender, beautiful and perfect, just as she had been years before. She was wearing a pair of jean shorts in pale green and white tank top that made her appear a trifle too thin. In fact, now that he had gotten a good look at her, she was way too thin with nothing on her bones but skin. And she was pale, too pale, as if someone sucked the wonderful healthy tan she had left California with all out of her. But she looked so wonderful, she was really there in the flesh.  
  
She was also muttering to her left in amusement. "Geeze guys, you think you could possibly stuff yourselves with more grease and carbonated material? I would think Adam at least would have more sense than that."  
  
"Don't you know that women keep men civil? Without them, we're merely pigs in a swine pen."   
  
Kimberly nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice. What little color was left in her cheeks drained away in fright as well as dread. Of all the scenarios she had imagined their first meeting was going to be like, her standing in front of half emptied pizza boxes and talking to herself was not even close to any one of them. "Tommy, hi."  
  
She's scared. His eyes soften at that thought. The one thing he never wanted for her was fear of him or anything that he might do. Ever fiber in his being screamed for him to ease her into this. "Hey, Beautiful. It's so good to see you again." He opened his arms to her, hoping she would accept him as a friend at least after all the time.  
  
If the devil had jumped up from hell and offered her the keys to heaven, she couldn't have been more surprise or more grateful. She moved into his arms and wrapped hers around his waist in appreciation. "It's so good to see you too." It was like coming home after a long trip.   
  
Tommy's breath caught in his throat and he held her gently, she was so slight that he was afraid that if he held her too hard she would break. Or worse, she would disappear and he would wake up again knowing that that she was gone. It was surreal this moment, and he wanted it to last as long as possible. "How are you doing?"   
  
"I'm doing good." She muffled the words into his chest. "You?"  
  
Since she was not letting go, he felt no obligation to do so either. "Better. Much better."  
  
She laughed against him. "You knew that I was shaking in my sandals didn't you?"  
  
He laughed with her, a wonderful sound that she was going to store away for those dark nights. "Yeah, I knew that. Did you think I would going to yell at you or something?"  
  
"No." She answered honestly. "I won't have been scared if I knew that you would have yelled at me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You have a wonderful voice."  
  
The grin that appeared was unseen by her but certainly seen by Adam as he came in through the door. "I hate to break this up, but Rocky says that if he does not get some food soon, he'll expire."  
  
Tommy reluctantly let go and frowned at Adam for ruining the moment. "We're coming."  
  
Adam grinned and nodded his head before escaping through the door quickly guessing the reason for Tommy's displeasure.   
  
Kimberly shoved the ice cream into the completely empty freezer. "Didn't you guys go grocery shopping?"  
  
"Hadn't really had any time yet. All we got was what was needed for this party." He nodded his head to the cabinet. "And all the snack food you could ever need. Plus, a couple of bottles of very fine wine and kegs of beer."  
  
"A bachelor pad from heaven huh?" She smiled hoping to keep the mood light and never approaching what she dread was the inevitable question.  
  
"Oh yeah, Jason knows how to treat his friends." Tommy's eyes went sober suddenly. "If you think you and I aren't going to talk about what happened between us, you're dead wrong."  
  
Kimberly's eyes went from calm to wary in two seconds. All the light-hearted mood could not disguise her obviously reluctance to broach the subject. "Can we not talk about that right now?"  
  
"Kimberly..." he started to argue with her but stopped himself. "All right, but we will talk eventually. Today, we celebrate with friends. Deal?" He stuck out his hand.  
  
With a reluctant sigh, she took it. "Deal."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"What do you think they're saying in there?" Rocky asked as he munched on some chips Trini was pouring into a big plastic bowl. "I mean, it's been years since..."  
  
"Don't be so nosy, Rocky." Jason said with a grin. "After all, Tommy and Kimberly are mature adults that have some problems to work through."  
  
Rocky grinned. "Ten bucks says they end up in bed by the end of the month."  
  
Jason laughed. "Twenty says in two weeks."  
  
"GUYS!" Trini looked at them with completely disbelief. "This is our friends' emotional well being you're putting money on. Show a little but of compassion and understanding here, please. Adam, talk to them will you."  
  
Adam looked up from the instruction manual on the sauna to stream room conversation that Jason was thinking about. He looked blankly at Trini for a moment and then turned to the boys. "Thirty says by the end of the week."  
  
Trini groaned and threw her hands up in defeat. "You're all morons."  
  
"Most of the nicest ones are, Trini." Kimberly said as she came over with the big wooden bowl of salad she found in the refrigerator, the only healthy thing in there.   
  
"Hey there, Trini." Tommy called out and caught her in a hug.   
  
"Tommy! You look so good." She stood on tip-toes and wrapped her slender arms around his neck and allowed him to engulf her into a hug worthy of a wrestler. Over Tommy's shoulders, Trini mouthed 'are you all right' to Kimberly.  
  
Kimberly responded with a slight tilting of her head that seemed to say that it could have gone better but she was fine.   
  
"Trini Kwan, you won't be rude enough to be talking to your friend behind my back now would you?" Tommy said with a grin as he continued to hold on the woman in his arms who was not letting go quite yet as she was finishing her silent conversation with her friend.  
  
The former yellow ranger pulled back and smiled widely at him. "Now would I do a think like that?"  
  
He gave her a look that plainly said do you need to ask. "Yes."  
  
"Tommy, what an awful thing to say. Can't a girl be glad to see an old friend?"  
  
"Yes, but in your case, no."  
  
Trini crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "Well, so much for a warm welcome."  
  
Tommy grinned at her. "If it will relieve you mind any, Kimberly and I have decided to postpone our unavoidable conversation to enjoy good food and fine company."  
  
Jason decided it was time to help out a little. "In other words, Trini, you'll have to wait for a later date to tear Tommy's head off if the conversation does not go well."  
  
Trini smiled and nodded her head. "I can do that."  
  
Tommy made a face to his best friend. "Thanks for the support, Jase."  
  
Jason laughed and put a plate into Tommy's hand. "Any time buddy, any time."  
  
Rocky poked his head into the conversation now. "Can we eat now?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
"You can cut the tense between them with a butter knife." Trini whispered to Jason as she sat down next to him with her big salad and puny piece of grilled chicken that had been dipped generously in soil sauce the night before. "Every time he goes near her, she shies away."  
  
"Yeah, I noticed." Jason eyed the two on opposites of the wonderful picnic table he had purchased only the day before. "Tommy's not going to give up until they've had an out."  
  
"I thought they agreed not to talk about it today?" Trini tasted the dressing and made a face. "Who made this?"  
  
"Rocky did. I won't if I were you," Jason grinned as Trini put the gravy boat filled with dressing away. "Remind me never to allow him into my kitchen."  
  
"Speaking of which, when did you learn to make such wonderful treats?" Jason looked over the plate of éclairs that was sitting on the side. "They look good enough to kill over."  
  
"Thanks. I had a lot of time between classes in college." Trini's hand sneaked under the table and gently rubbed the top of Jason's thigh, movingly slowly up from the knees. "I can teach you sometime if you like."  
  
Jason twitched in reaction and tried desperately to restrain himself. "I just may take you up on that offer."  
  
"Can you teach Rocky too?" Adam asked from across the table from Kimberly. "He needs some cooking lessons before he kills someone with his cooking. Have you tried that dressing he made?"  
  
"Hey, I'll have you know that the dressing is an old family receipt." Rocky said defensively from the grill.   
  
"Did you taste before you brought it out?" Trini asked as she subtly removed her hand from Jason who had slowly taken his flip-flops off and was currently rubbing his big toe against the top of her feet.   
  
"No," Rocky frowned. "I followed the instructions exactly."  
  
Trini nudged Jason away before standing up. "Here, taste this." She dipped a spoon into the dressing and went over to hold it for Rocky to ask.  
  
"Yuck! That's horrible." Rocky's expression was enough to send the rest of the group into a fit a giggles. "What was I thinking?"  
  
"That's what we'd like to know." Trini said with a laugh then kissed Rocky on the cheek to take the sting out. "Don't worry, I'm sure I can whip up something simple in a few seconds."  
  
"Please do." Rocky said with the same pained expression on his face as before. "No one is going to be able to touch the veggies if you don't."  
  
Trini shook her head and up the spoon down. "I'll just go explore the kitchen."  
  
Kimberly jumped up from her seat. "I'll help."  
  
Tommy stopped his approach as Kimberly left with Trini, who threw him a sympathetic look.   
  
"You okay?" Jason asked.   
  
"Yeah," Tommy sighed and sat down where Trini had been. "Just frustrated. I know that we agreed not to talk about it today but..."  
  
"You want to know," Jason finished for him. "Tommy, you're going to have to back off. You're scaring the poor thing."  
  
"I hate to agree with Jason," Adam said as he took a seat across from them. "But he's right. Kimberly cringes every time you look like you want to talk to her. You get that look in your eyes like you're going to shake the truth out of her or something."  
  
Tommy frowned. He hadn't realized that his intentions were written so evidently on his face. "I think I'm still in love with you, you know."  
  
The others exchanged glances of non-surprise before rolling their eyes. "Tell us something we haven't figured out already."  
  
Wincing with pain and embarrassment, Tommy slumped down. "I hate being so obvious."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Okay, that was pretty weak I have to admit. But I couldn't come up with anything too exciting other than them jumping each other and that's been over done. Let's keep that tension a little longer, okay. Don't hurt me, please.  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry. Tell me how I can make this right for you."  



	11. Break Down

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To my darling Faith, we all fall apart every once in a while. This one is for you my dear.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Eleven  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 2, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Kimberly's bared finger brushed against the knife only too hard. "Ouch." Her entire hand shot out of the soapy dishwater as she instinctively tried to put the soapy wounded finger in her mouth.   
  
"Hold it!" Tommy grabbed her bleeding finger before she could digest dishwashing detergent. "Adam, get the first aid." He squeezed the finger just above the wound, hoping to cut the flow of blood.   
  
"Here," Trini instinctively handed him a clean tissue paper to hold again the cut. "Try to stop the bleeding."  
  
"What do you think I've been doing?" Tommy snapped back, startling Trini.  
  
"Tommy," Jason frowned before taking hold of Trini by the shoulders. "There's no need to bite off her head."  
  
Tommy sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry Trini, I didn't mean to snap at you."  
  
Trini watched him with weary eyes. "I know."  
  
"Here," Adam came back in with the first aid kit. "Allow me."  
  
"Thanks," Kimberly said as Adam examined the cut.   
  
"Minor wound. Don't worry about it." Adam pronounced before cleaning the cut with peroxide, generously applying a white powder to the still bleeding cut, and then wrapping a band-aid tightly around it. "There, if it turns all red and yucky tomorrow, come see me."  
  
"It's nice having a doctor on call." Kimberly smiled before examining the band-aid finger. "Thanks, Adam."  
  
"No problem." He put the kit away and turned toward the kitchen. "Whoa, what happened?" He could feel the thick tension in the air. "Did I miss something?"  
  
"No," Trini shook her head and smiled to clear the air. "Why don't you guys all go out and get some air while I finish the dishes instead."   
  
The others nodded in agreement. Tommy turned back as he was heading for the door. "Trini, I..."  
  
"It's fine, Tommy." She nodded her head in reassurance. "We're okay."  
  
Tommy nodded. "Thanks."  
  
"Hey, Angel?" Jason glanced at the door first before resting his hands on her shoulders again, this time facing him. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," she smiled for him but it didn't reach her eyes. "Why won't I be?"  
  
Jason frowned and kissed her brows. "He hurt your feelings."  
  
She nodded her head and felt the tears gather in her eyes. "This is so stupid."  
  
"No, it's not." Jason glanced out the window and made sure the others were not watching before touching his lips to hers. "You're allow to feel hurt when you've been wronged."  
  
"He didn't mean it, I know that. He was just frustrated and worried."   
  
"Yes but he didn't have the right to take it out on you." Jason sighed and wanted to gather her close. "You sure you're all right?"  
  
She ran her knuckle over her eyes and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine. Go on out."  
  
Jason's eyes swept over her as she turned to tackle the dishes. "Trini?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You know that I care right?"  
  
She smiled softly. "Yeah, I know you're a great friend." Then turned back to the dishes.  
  
He stood by the doorway for a moment longer staring at her back. Friend?  
  
~~~~~  
  
"You sure you're okay, Beautiful?" Tommy asked watching her with hawk-like eyes.  
  
She smiled at him weakly. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's nothing but a scratch."  
  
"Hey, how long are these things suppose to be in there?" Rocky waved a hand in front of him trying to fan away from of the smoke from the coals. "And who eats yams like this?"  
  
"Trini does." Adam said as he poured himself some wine from the bottle that Jason had brought out. "It's a pretty old Asian thing."  
  
"Is it any good?" That was the only thing Rocky wanted to know.  
  
"It keeps the natural flavors in when roasted like this." Adam replied taking a small sip and glancing at the back door.   
  
"But does it taste good?" Rocky asked again.  
  
"Yes, it's good this way." Adam said frowning at the door. "Wonder where Jason is?"  
  
"Probably keeping Trini company," Tommy said quietly still watching Kimberly.  
  
Kim squirmed in her chair, not sure she liked the attention from Tommy. Yet at the same time, it gave her courage to know that he still cared. "Maybe I should go in to help with the dishes."  
  
"Not with that finger," Tommy pointed out and glanced briefly at the door as it swung open allowing a rather disturbed Jason out. "Hey, Jason. What's up?"  
  
Jason blinked and pushed whatever he was thinking away. He frowned thoughtfully at Tommy. "I think you need to go talk to Trini, man. You hurt her feelings just now."  
  
Tommy frowned. "I thought she said..."  
  
"Come on, Tommy." Jason poured the wine. "You know how Trini was in high school. Everyone else's feelings are more important than her own. She just didn't want to make a big deal about it, but you made her cry."  
  
Tommy winced in guilt. "Damn." He should have remembered that though Trini has grown up, in many ways she was still the same shy girl he knew in Angel Grove High. It was wrong of him to have hurt her, unintentional as it was, it was still wrong. He got up and headed for the back door.   
  
Kimberly leaned over slowly. "Is she very upset?"  
  
Jason shrugged. "I'm not sure."  
  
"She cried though?"   
  
"Tears in her eyes." Jason said downing the aged Merlot in one gulp not tasting it at all. "I hate seeing her sad like that."  
  
"Me too." Kimberly whispered as she watched the window. "I'll talk to her later."  
  
"Geeze," Rocky sat down with them. "I don't think I've ever seen Trini cry before."  
  
Jason grimaced. "It takes a lot to make her show her grief outwardly. Trini usually bottles everything inside and takes care of it herself when she's alone. I didn't like seeing her like this."  
  
Adam frowned at the door. "What happened in there?"  
  
Jason said nothing and Kimberly looked away.  
  
"Come on guys," Rocky looked from one to the other. "What happened?"  
  
Kimberly sighed. "I cut my hand and Tommy got upset. When Trini made a small suggestion, Tommy snapped back at her."  
  
Rocky raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Tommy took out his temper at Trini?"  
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Oh." It was rare to see Tommy lose his cool. Adam looked at the back door. "I wonder what's being said in there."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Tommy, I told you that I'm fine." Trini insisted as she scrubbed the plates slowly.   
  
"Jason doesn't think so." Tommy said as he leaned against the counter   
  
"Jason thinks too much."   
  
"He's a friend." Tommy looked over at her and noticed that her eyes were slightly red from salt tears. "Trini please, talk to me. I know I've upset you, tell me how I can make it right."  
  
"Tommy," she would have turned to him if she hadn't felt the tears gathering again. What is wrong with me? I'm not mad at him at all but I can't seem to control the tears. "I'm fine."  
  
"Your rabbit eyes disagree." Tommy took the sponge from her and turned her to look at him. When she tried to turn her head, he caught her chin. It was then that he saw the tears. "Oh, Trini. Please don't cry."  
  
The first tear fell without her notice as she tried to pull away. But he felt it as it hit the back of his hand. "Tommy, please just..."  
  
"I hate to see a woman cry and know that I'm the cause of it." Tommy pulled her back and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry. Tell me how I can make this right for you."  
  
She sniffled into his shirt and disentangled herself slowly. "I don't know why I'm so emotional about this. You didn't do anything wrong, Tommy. I totally understand your position and how you were feeling. I just don't know why..." her voice came haltingly as the first sob escaped. "I don't know why I'm so....upset." Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to choke back the sob that threatened to come out again. I am not going to let him see me cry. I am not!  
  
"Trini," he held out his hand to her, trying to offer comfort as she back away from him slowly, one hand held over her mouth.  
  
"I have...I have to go." She backed away from him even more and reached for the countertop as tears blurred her vision. Reaching into her back pocket, she tossed her car keys on to the island. "Tell...tell the others that I'm sorry and tell Kim that I'll see her later."   
  
"Trini!" He followed her helplessly. "Please don't go, I..."  
  
"It's not you," Trini got out as she reached the front door. "I just need to be alone." With tears streaming free, she ran out into the streets and away. Can't let them see me like this!  
  
"TRINI!" Tommy called out and was tempted to run after her but as upset as he was making her, he may just upset her more if he did go after her. Damn! Running through the house, he slam out the back door so fast that he startled the others out of their seats.  
  
"What happened?" Jason asked almost immediately when he that something was not right.   
  
"Trini ran off." Tommy shook his head in confusion as he hand Kimberly Trini's keys. "I was trying to apologize and it just got worse and worse. Then she started to cry and just ran off. She said to tell you guys that she's sorry and that she'd see Kim at home."  
  
Kimberly eyes went wide. "She just ran off?"  
  
"Yeah," Tommy ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't know what to do. Everything I said seem to make it worse and I just..."  
  
"Kim, get home." Jason said pushing her toward the driveway. "Make sure she's okay and give us a call. I'd go with you if I thought it would help."  
  
"Call us if you need anything," Rocky said as he grabbed three yams off the grill and put them into a container. "Here, take these with you."  
  
"Thanks." Kimberly grabbed the container and reached out to Tommy for the first time. "I'm sure it's not your fault."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Tommy, sometime..." she frowned not sure how to explain. "It's a hormonal girl thing."  
  
"Kim," Jason nodded toward the car. "Go."  
  
"Kim," Adam reached into the doctors bag next to the first aid kit he always seem to carry now a days. "Give this to Trini if she's really, Really, REALLY upset."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Prozac."  
  
"Are you sure this is safe?"  
  
"Yeah but only one, okay?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Kimberly!" Jason said insistently now. His mind was racing and wanting to run out and find her himself. Damn it, Trini. Please be okay.  
  
"I'll call you guys," as she started the car.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
The hot water ran down on her from the big showerhead as Trini cried herself dry. She hadn't even bothered with taking her clothes off. The minute she got home, she stepped into the shower, turned it up hot and crouched down to hug herself as she sobbed from deep in her soul.   
  
Everything from her insides hurt and she didn't know what to do about it. Nothing was making sense right now, all she knew was that everything was bottled up and she needed to release it all now. It wasn't pain or anger, nor was it sadness or regret; she didn't know where all the tears were coming from, only that it didn't seem to want to stop.   
  
"TRINI!!" Kimberly pounded on the door. "Trini! Are you all right?"   
  
She might was well as have saved her breath since Trini couldn't hear her over the combine roaring of the blood pounding in her ears and the wonderfully loud massage shower head.   
  
"Trini, please open this door!" Kimberly begged as she hit the door with the flat of her hand again. "Trini!"  
  
The girl that had once commanded the mighty saber tooth tiger zord felt the sobs drain away and with it all her energy. Her limbs felt heavy and tired. Her eyes fell of their own accord and she leaned against the big white tub. Gosh, I'm so tired. With all her emotions spent, she was completely without any power left as she felt the wonderful darkness of slumber slip over her.   
  
Kimberly pounded on the door once more before getting up for the phone. "Hello? Jason? Get over here now. Trini's locked herself in the bathroom and not answering me at all. I'm scared."  
  
"Hang on, we can be there in five minutes." Jason said before throwing the phone down.  
  
Kim clicked the phone off and set it back on the cradle before resuming her position in front of the bathroom door. "Trini! Please answer me. Open this door."  
  
Five heart stopping minutes later, the boys pounded their way up the stairs where they found Kimberly crouched outside Trini's bathroom door crying.  
  
"Hurry!" Kimberly said as she got out of the way.  
  
Jason and Tommy put their shoulders into it. After three hard rams, the door gave away. Hot steam poured out from the bathroom, making everyone cough in reaction.  
  
"Oh god," Jason felt his heart stop. "Trini!"   
  
Tommy turned the scolding hot water off as Jason lifted her from the tub, drenched from head to foot. "Get her on the floor, it's cooler."  
  
"Trini!" Kimberly felt her heart jump to her throat as she tossed a towel to Jason. "Help her, Adam."  
  
Adam moved to replace Tommy by Trini's side as Jason began to strip of her of the clothes she was soaked in. "Heart rate is slightly elevated, temperature...." He held his hand against Trini's forehead. "Normal."  
  
Trini groaned and tried to push Jason away as he tugged on her jean shorts, which was heavy with water. "Stop," she murmured.  
  
"I'm sorry, baby but I've got to take them off." Jason replied close to her ears as he continued to strip her. He draped the towel over her as he pulled off her bra and underpants, and then wrapped her tightly in the big towel that Kimberly handed him. "Let's get her to the bed."  
  
"So sleepy," Trini mumbled as Jason stood up with her in his arms. "So tired."  
  
"We can tell," Tommy said as he watched Kimberly wrap another towel over Trini's long hair. "Is she going to be okay?"  
  
"Trini?" Kim sat by the bed and slowly rubbed Trini's hair dry. "You okay?"  
  
"So tired." Trini turned and instinctively reached out for something that was no longer there. "Needed a good purge today."  
  
Kimberly smiled in reaction and looked over at the guys. "She's going to be okay."  
  
"Does she do this often?" Rocky asked as he played with the crystal figurine on Trini dressing table. His heart pounded in his chest and he took deep breaths. It was so unlike the usually calm Trini to be acting this way. It was very disturbing to see.  
  
"I think every girl does it every once in a while." Kimberly said pulling the blanket Trini had neatly folded in the morning over her now. "We all need a good cry, sleep and a gallon of ice cream. Then we're all better. It's called an emotional purge."  
  
"And it could happen at any time." Adam shook his head. "Any little thing could trigger it. Looks like it was Tommy this time." He grinned almost amused. "You know when we talked about this in psychology, I didn't think I would actually see a case of it. I always thought it was something the professor said as an excuse for irrational behavior by females, like PMS."  
  
Kimberly gave him a good frown. "If Trini was awake right now, she'd kick your ass."  
  
"Oh, I don't doubt it!"  
  
Jason was watching Trini with concern eyes. "She's going to okay then? This is normal?"  
  
"Yeah," Adam reached for the bottle of prozac still in Kimberly's hand. "She'll be fine."  
  
"Maybe I should stay just in case." Jason suggested. "Besides, I don't think I'm going to get much sleep tonight unless she talks to me."  
  
"Sure," Kimberly smiled at her friend. "You can have the guest room."  
  
Jason smiled at her. "I was thinking more along the lines of camping out at the foot of her bed."  
  
"Why don't we all sleep over for the night?" Tommy suggested. "The living room is certainly big enough."  
  
"You guys don't have to stay." Kimberly reassured them. "Everything is fine now. Just watch, Trini is going to wake up tomorrow morning and act like nothing has happened."  
  
"Besides," Jason said eyeing the big lounge chair in Trini's bedroom. Looked almost comfortable enough to sleep in. "You guys are all still slightly jetlagged and should be in a nice bed to sleep in. I'll stay here to make sure everything is okay when she wakes up."  
  
"Well," Tommy crossed his arms. "Rocky and Adam can go back then. I'm not leaving until Trini tells me that what happened was not the result of my little boorish behavior."  
  
"Fine," Kimberly threw up her hand. "Rocky and Adam will go home and sleep. Jason and Tommy will stay the night if it makes them feel better. But I'm warning you guys, you snore at your own risk!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Teaser line from next chapter: "If we want to be honest, it's never going to be the right time for this."  



	12. Long Night

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To the Girl in the Red Jacket, who first inspired me to write a Trini/Jason fan fiction. Thank you for that, though you'd probably hate me now for flooding the net with their fan fictions.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twelve  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 2, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Rocky yawned as he shut the front door. "Okay, that was just a little too much for me."  
  
"Me too." Adam replied. "Poor Trini, she must have been keeping all that in for a long time."  
  
"Why do women have those emotional purges like that?"  
  
"So they don't have mental breakdowns or heart attacks like men."  
  
"You're kidding, right?"  
  
"No." Adam shook his head as he started up the stairs. "Statistically, men are more prone to have heart attacks and mental break downs due to repressed emotions. That plus we have more ulcers."  
  
"Oh jeeze."  
  
"Brrrrriiiiiinnnnnggggg."  
  
Rocky sighed and picked up the phone in his room. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Rocko."  
  
"Billy Boy. What's up?"  
  
"I was just about to ask you the same question. I called earlier and no one was at home. I thought you were all going to have a great big party to celebrate?"  
  
"Oh man, you won't believe what happened!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Jason settled himself in the chair pulled close to the bed. The darkened room may have hid everything else from his view but the shaft of line form the moon through the window gave enough illumination for Jason to see her face, peaceful now.   
  
He was sure that his heart would returned to a normal rate once morning comes but right now, it was still ready to jump into his throat and choke him with fear. The sight of her leaning against the white tub, steam swirling around her, drenched with water hot enough to burn had frightened him worse than any monster devised by evil in the past.   
  
Yet through it all, he knew in his heart that she would be all right. Unfortunately, what his heart says and what his mind could see did not meet up fast enough. But now, she's safe. That's was what was important. She was safe and sleeping peacefully.  
  
He settled himself down for a long night of vigil.   
  
~~~~~  
  
"I'll get you a blanket."   
  
Tommy reached for her hand before Kimberly could escape. "Hold on a second will you?"  
  
"Tommy," the warning tone with there but not as forceful as she wanted it to be. "I don't think right now is the right place or time."  
  
"If we want to be honest, it's never going to be the right time for this. We need to get this out now while we both still have the mind to." Tommy pulled her gently to the couch. "Look, Jason is upstairs with Trini, watching out for her. As far as you and I are concerned, we're completely alone now. Please, we need to have this out."  
  
Kimberly glanced at the exotic fishes in Trini's tank and sighed. Some days, she wish she had been born anything but a human with all the baggage that humans carry around with them. A fish would never have the kind of relationship problems that humans do. "I guess we should talk."  
  
"You better believe it. So talk to me."  
  
She settled herself on the couch, turned to face him. "What do you want to know?"  
  
"Well..." Tommy scratched his head. "Never really thought about what we'd talk about only that we had to talk. Why doesn't we start at the beginning?"  
  
"Okay, where at the beginning?" Kimberly really had no energy for the kind of emotional dam that Tommy was determine to destroy.   
  
"Tell me his name." Oh god, why did I have to ask that!   
  
"His name?"  
  
"Yeah, what was the guy's name?" You don't want to know, you idiot. You don't want to know!   
  
Oh lordy, please tell me his not asking about who I think he's asking about! "What guy?"  
  
Shut up, just shut up! "The one from pan global. The one that stole you from me."  
  
Oh shit! Kimberly sighed. "First of all, I don't belong to anyone. You can't steal what didn't belong to you. And second of all, does it really matter?"  
  
Say no, just say no and it will be the end of it. "It does to me." You idiot! Do you really want her to tear your heart out again?!?   
  
Oh, why did he have to ask that first? "There was never any one."  
  
WHAT? Tommy's eyes went wide. "What?"  
  
"There was never any one there for me. I lied." Kimberly could almost feel her face grown red and hot. Oh god, just let the ground open up and swallow me whole.  
  
There was silence as Tommy's head tried to wrap itself slowly around the lie that had tore out his heart so many years before and is now being brought to light. No, it can't be. Don't get your hopes up or you'd be setting yourself up for a giant fall. Yet all of him wanted to believe her, to know that nothing came between them but Kimberly's own made-up words. "Why?"  
  
Kimberly looked away and shrugged her shoulders. "Why I did it doesn't really matter now."  
  
"It does. I want to know why you would hurt me so badly. You broke my heart, Kim. I've never known such pain as when I read your letter telling me that you didn't love me, that we never meant anything to you." Tommy wanted to see her eyes but knew that if he touched her, he would want to shake the truth out of her. "Why? You at least owe that to me."  
  
Kimberly leaned back and closed her eyes hoping to god that she does not start babbling like an idiot or worse yet, cry in front of him. Between her and Trini, they could pretty much scare the guys half to death with their emotional baggage. "Sometimes, when you do something you think is so right, it turns out to be the wrong thing for you. Only you don't know it until it is too late and then there's nothing you could do about it but live with it."  
  
"That doesn't answer my question."  
  
"I loved you so much that I had to hurt you to free you." Her eyes gave him to truth to that.  
  
"What?"  
  
Kimberly got up slowly but he stopped her with a hand to her arm. "Tommy, please."  
  
"I want you to explain yourself."   
  
"I was at a training program that would take a year of my life follow by a year of competitions. After that, it would be followed by another year of training programs for the Olympics then another year away for the actual event. That would four years of our lives that we would be separated. And while I choose to forfeit my social life for my art, you didn't sign up for it." Her hands trembled as she picked up the glass on the table to take a sip. "I had no right to ask you to wait four years for me to pick up my life again once my dreams were completed. I hate no right to ask you to give up that part of yourself for me. I didn't want that for you."  
  
He was quiet. "So instead you thought you'd break my heart and let me have a life you think would make me happy."  
  
"You were happy!" Kimberly insisted. "I saw you with Katherine, you were both so happy together. I was right to have done so. A little hurt at the time saved you from lots of loneliness that staying me would have cost you. And..."  
  
"And what?" Tommy's eyes held hers. "What?"  
  
"And it kept you true to yourself. If, and this is an if, you had betrayed me to be with someone in my absence, it would have broken you and me."  
  
"I won't have betrayed you."  
  
"You don't know that." Kimberly said quietly. "You're a young healthy male with lots of beautiful women that would be more than happy to cure you of your loneliness, trust me. I know I would."  
  
"I never wanted anyone else then."  
  
"I know," Kimberly smiled feeling the tears in her eyes. "I know that you were true to me and I truly believe that you and Kat were fighting it. Can you really tell me that you weren't attracted to her, even while you were with me? You didn't even think about it?"   
  
Tommy was silent.  
  
"See?"  
  
"I didn't betray you, I swear it."  
  
Kimberly felt her heart break a little now. He had wanted Kat then, a part of her had always secretly denied it. But he had pretty much confirmed her worse possible fear. "I know that."  
  
"Kimberly..."  
  
"No, please." She smiled at him. "You don't owe me anything."  
  
Tommy felt the need to explain it. "Yes, I was attracted to her. But I never thought for a moment of being with her while I was with you. You were the only one in my heart then...and now. In the long run, Katherine and I won't have...didn't work out."  
  
"But you were happy with her, for a time at least?" Kimberly's eyes pleaded with her to tell her the truth, to admit to it. Oh god, please Tommy. Tell me that I was right to have let you go. Tell that I did the right thing to let the best thing to ever come into my life go so that you could have a little bit of joy while I was away.  
  
He could almost see the pain in her eyes for having asked the question. A part of him wanted to lie but knew that he couldn't. "Yes, I was happy with her for a time." Please don't hate me. Please don't turn from me.  
  
"Then I made the right decision." Kimberly sighed and smiled at him. "You were happy, that's what mattered."  
  
"But in the long run, I still wanted you." Tommy said with conviction. "I've loved you for so long that I'm not sure that I ever got over you even while I was with Kat. A little part of me always bleeds for you."  
  
She shook her head, trying to deny it. "Please, I..."  
  
"Tell me you don't want me." Tommy insisted as he pulled on her hand. "Just tell me that you don't feel anything but friendship for me and I'll let this go. But you've got to look me in the eyes and tell me that there is no hope for us to be together. Just say the words."  
  
"Tommy, please..." The hot tears burned in her eyes and she turned away from his questing eyes.   
  
"Tell me, Beautiful. Tell me and I'll go."  
  
Her cry caught in her throat. "Why are you doing this? Why are you doing this to me?"  
  
"Cause I love you." His kiss was sweetly gentle and just the way she remembered it.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Warm questing lips woke him for the slumber that laid claim to him sometime after midnight. Soft hands slowly moved along his arms, up and down, touching skin that was quickly warming in reaction as a clever mouth nibbled its way along the side of his throat toward his ear.  
  
His arms came around her, feeling wonderfully heated skin, and clutched her tightly to him. He groaned as her hands tangled themselves in his wonderfully soft hair. A part of him screamed for himself to stop, that she had just had a rather emotional break-down only hours before, that he shouldn't be doing this, especially with people down stairs and possibility in the other room. But his body was reacting faster than his brain was.  
  
"What are you doing in my room?" She whispered softly against his ear as his hand made a downward sweep over her naked backside. It had been a pleasurable surprise to find him sitting there so wonderfully reassuring when she woke. Finding herself bare as the day she was born was another surprise, not as pleasant but certainly not distasteful. "And does Kimberly know that you're here?"  
  
His lips locked with hers for a moment and he forgot all about answering her.   
  
"Jason," Trini groaned as his mouth made its way over her warmed cheek and along her throat. "Does Kim..."  
  
"She knows." He muttered against her throat. All the blood in his head had left it in a great rush making concentration difficult.  
  
She gasped when his hands slowly caressed her. "Does she know about us?"  
  
"No, thinks I'm just worried and want to watch over you for the night," his mouth sought out the hollow at the base of her throat. "You scared us all earlier."  
  
"Oh," her hands tugged at the t-shirt he was wearing. "Okay then, you want to go to bed or would you prefer to take the chair?"  
  
He was too turned on to care by now. "Whatever."  
  
She almost laughed but couldn't when his mouth covered hers again. He was thorough in his kisses, leaving her breathless. "Okay, lets take the bed. It's bigger."  
  
"Okay," he tumbled them both onto the bed in one quick sweeping moved.  
  
She did laugh then. "In a hurry, are we?"  
  
"Your fault."  
  
"True."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Tommy, we can't." Kimberly pushed him away.  
  
"Kim..."  
  
"This is happening too fast." She backed away from him.  
  
For the second time in the past several hours, Tommy found himself at the receiving end of a frightened woman's plead for distance. This is becoming a habit. At least she's not crying any more. "Okay, we'll slow down."  
  
"Take things from the top?" She suggest hopefully.  
  
"Top?" Tommy gave her an inquiring look.   
  
"Yeah, start over fresh." Kimberly's eyes pleaded with him again. "Like we were just meeting."  
  
"You want to go back to when we were just playing shy games?" Tommy asked in disbelief.  
  
"Only this time you won't be trying to kill us under Rita's control and order." She tried to make light of the situation since it appeared that he did not like the idea too much.  
  
Tommy was definitely not liking it. "Kim, we're not kids anymore."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I'm not going to pretend that I don't want to go to bed with you right now."  
  
"I know that too." She winced at the irritated look in his eyes. "I'm just saying that I don't want to jump into bed with you right away. I don't want to renew our relationship based on natural animalistic instinct. I want something a little deeper."  
  
"I told you that I love you. I want..."  
  
"But you don't even know me." Kimberly shook her head. "You're right, we're not kids anymore. We're both coming back into this with a past. I don't want to jump the gun right now."  
  
He ran a hand through his hair and silently cursed everything else in the world but her. "Okay, you're right. We need to take this a little slower."  
  
"And get reacquainted?" She asked hopefully again.  
  
"Yes, get reacquainted."  
  
"One step at a time?"  
  
"One step at a time." He nodded to himself. Even if it kills me.   
  
~~~~~  
(Next Morning)  
  
Jason turned around and felt nothing but cooling sheets. Coming awake a little too fast for his head, he sat there in the empty room staring at the space beside him. He had spent a rather pleasant night curled up against Trini's back as she drifted off to sleep after their rather passionate encounter. It felt so nice being able to hold her against him, feel her every breath, and just know that she is safe in his arms. But now...  
  
Scrambling off the bed, Jason checked the bathroom and then the other rooms before headed down the stairs. He took a moment to note that Kimberly and Tommy had both fell asleep facing each other on the couch. He made a mental note to ask his best friend what had happened last night after he had shut the door to Trini's room.   
  
"Guys, wake up!" Jason shook Tommy's shoulder to get his attention and watched at they both slowly surfaced to the waking realm. "Trini's missing.""  
  
"What?" Kimberly rubbed her eyes and looked around at the brightly lit room.   
  
"What happened?" Tommy stretched out slowly, feeling his aching muscles scream in protest. "Where?"  
  
"Trini's gone!" Jason went to get his shoes. "I woke up and she wasn't there anymore."  
  
"Maybe she went for a run of something, work out all her problems." Tommy suggested but still followed Jason's example and reached for his shoes.   
  
"Guys..." Kimberly tried to get their attention.  
  
"We better call Rocky and Adam." Jason said looking at the phone but making no move to get it.  
  
"Yeah, the more people combing the streets the better," Tommy reached for the phone then.  
  
"GUYS!"  
  
"What?" they both turn to her at the same time.  
  
Kimberly smiled rather sweetly at them. "Do you smell coffee?"  
  
The stupefied looks on their faces were funny enough to make her laugh.   
  
"What's going on?" Trini asked from the door leading to the dinning room and kitchen. All three turned to her slowly. She stood there in the doorway wearing a giant t-shirt featuring a cartoon baby tiger with a rather goofy grin on its face and a serene smile on her face. "Coffee anyone?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Teaser line from next chapter: "You haven't seen 4th of July done until you've seen the New Yorkers do it!"  
  



	13. Happy 4th!

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Morgan and DevDev for reading my stuff with an open mind and heart. My pairings may not always be popular, but you guys have never criticized me for it. Thank you. And to Shawn, (Ozmandayus) for your continual support and wonderful reviews. I certainly do my best cause you set the scale so high. Can't wait for your next chapters.  
  
**To everyone a happy Fourth of July. And help save a life, don't drink and drive.**  
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirteen  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 3, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"So how bad was it after I passed out?" Trini asked after the boys had left to get cleaned up and showered.   
  
Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Adam handled it rather well but the rest of them turned whiter than you did. You really gave everyone a bad scare there. Jason insisted on sleeping in your room just so he could make sure that you were still breathing come morning. Tommy won't leave cause he was afraid that he was the cause of the sudden emotional break down. Rocky could only stand here looking like he would rather be eating dirt than be there." Kimberly took a sip of the wonderfully scented coffee and sighed. "Over all, it was what you could have expected. Monster and evil aliens these boys can handle without blinking an eye but put a crying a woman in front of them and they call apart faster than you can sneeze."  
  
Trini coughed into her hand. "Okay, so it was what we could have expected then."  
  
"Pretty much. You scared me though," Kim looked at her with rather haunted eyes. "Don't ever go that to me without a warning again. When I can home and found the door locked and you on the other side of it, I thought my heart would jump out of my throat."  
  
"Sorry," she gave her a sympathetic look. "If it makes you feel any better, you handled it a whole lot better than Zack did when I fell apart in Switzerland."  
  
"What did he do?"  
  
"Oh the poor thing just sat there crying with me." Trini shook her remembering her younger days. "Then he took me to the counselor's office the next day and helped me work out the problems that caused it. He was awfully sweet about the whole thing."  
  
"That's good." Kimberly glanced at the calendar on the wall. "So what is the plan for the 4th of July?"  
  
"New York harbor for the fireworks of course." Trini said with a grin. "You haven't seen 4th of July done until you've seen the New Yorkers do it!"  
  
"Really?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 3, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Never again, Jase. I'm never doing that again." Tommy said as he took a seat in the empty workout room in the basement. "I don't think my blood pressure can take it."  
  
Jason grinned. "You mean Trini's break down or your talk with Kimberly."  
  
Tommy turned to him in a hurry. "How did you know that Kim and I talk last night?"  
  
"Other than the fact that the two of your were sleeping facing each other on the couch? Or how about cause I never heard Kim come back upstairs? Or maybe it's because you both blushed like..."  
  
"Okay, okay, I get the point." Tommy shook his head in resignation as he pulled out a pair of sparring gloves from the equipment bag in brought. "I have to tell you though, as painful as it may have been, I'm sure glad that Kim and I talked. I don't' think I could take the kind of suspense the past few days have been for me."  
  
"So you're saying that you worked out your problems?" Jason asked looked around for the protective padded helmets. "Cause you know that we've got bets going as to when the two of you are going to make up, kiss, and hit the sheets."   
  
Tommy looked at him stunned for a moment. "Thanks a whole lot!" He gave Jason a mighty shove as his friend laughed uproariously.   
  
"Hey!" Rocky rubbed his eyes as he stepped into the redesigned and refitted room. "Whoa....what's this?"  
  
"Our new and improved private workout area." Jason replied before starting his warm up. As much of a workout as being with Trini was, he needed a more intense exercise program that included a little bit of challenge. And warm-up is certainly needed if he wanted to keep his shape without pulling something. And with Tommy, anything goes. "It still needs some things for it to be completed but I think this is a nice start. What do you think?"  
  
Rocky glanced around the soft blue matted room, "I think I'm really going to love living here."  
  
Tommy laughed as he joined Jason on the warm up routine. "I'd say the same. This place is great. I love it. We don't even have to leave the house to get a workout."  
  
"Which is going to come in real handy on those rainy days." Jason pointed out.  
  
"Rainy days?" Rocky asked with a frown. "What rainy days?"  
  
Tommy grinned. "You've been living in California too long my friend. Here in the East Coast, there is this things they call winter and during that time, they get wet drops that fall from the sky in the form of water or frozen bits call snow."  
  
"Shut up," Rocky said scratching his head. "Jeeze, I'm tired."  
  
"You're tired?" Jason looked at him as if he's grown two heads. "You didn't have to stay up all night like Tommy and me."  
  
"How did that go, anyways? Trini all right?" Adam asked as he came down the stairs with a pepping hot cup of freshly brewed java. "Thanks for the coffee, whoever made it."  
  
"You're welcome," Jason replied with a grin. "Trini gave me some coffee beans when we left her place this morning since were out after Rocky's little disastrous attempt yesterday morning."  
  
Rocky looked rather sheepish. "I apologize for that."  
  
"Well, Trini is fine. She woke up and made breakfast for everyone as if nothing had happened." Tommy shook his head. "I will never understand women for as long as I live. Give me a stock market's ups and downs any day over trying to figure out what goes on in a woman's mind."  
  
"You said it, bro." Jason said as he got up from the stretches. "Shall we?"  
  
Knocking his gloved hands together, Tommy bounced onto the balls of his sneakered feet. "Let's do it!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 3, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Okay, what gives? That's the fourth glass of lemonade in the past hours. You dehydrated or something?" Trini asked as she took a seat on the couch again.   
  
"Something like that." Kimberly grimaced and sighed. "I guess it would be a better idea if you knew what was going on."  
  
"Oh oh, I don't like the sound of this at all." Trini made a face and settled herself better. "Okay, give it to me slow and easy. What's going on? And should I be panicking over every little thing you do?"  
  
Kim laughed easily. "Nothing that serious. It's just something to watch out for if I was to ever be in an accident or anything like that. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes."  
  
That left a stunned silence behind. "Excuse me?"  
  
"I have diabetes. I need to watch my intake of sugar a little more carefully than most people do. It's not a big deal, millions of people live with it everyday and they have perfectly normal lives."  
  
"Is this the one where you go blind if you aren't careful? And you have to take insolent shots everyday to keep alive? Cause you know I've had first aid training but I'm not too comfortable with giving someone a shot if you're not able to one of these days."  
  
"Relax," Kimberly smiled reassuringly. "That's type two diabetes. I'm not that far gone. I take a little pill when I over take on the sugar department. I get the shakes when there is a sugar level problem. Other than that, I'm good."  
  
Trini sat there staring at her friend, making a full assessment. "Okay, would this explain why you've lost all that weight?"  
  
"Yeah, that would do it. I was on a rather strict diet for a while then when everything was back to normal, I couldn't seem to gain any of it back. It sucks to look like a skeleton all the time."  
  
"And the paleness?"  
  
Kimberly frowned. "Florida may be happy and tropical by most standards, but it has done nothing for my tan."  
  
"Gotcha." Trini sighed and leaned back. "Okay, so no more dessert binges?"   
  
"Hey, I won't go that far!"  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Okay, everything's been arranged for tomorrow." Trini said hung up the phone and curled her legs under her. "Frankie says that we can set on her rooftop and watch the fireworks from there."  
  
"And Frankie would be....?" Kimberly prompted.  
  
"The receptionist at my old firm. She's fifty and has a sweet little apartment by the New York Bay over looking Liberty Island. I spent my last Fourth of July there and loved every moment of it. The New Yorkers really love their Independence Day."  
  
"Did you ask the guys?"  
  
"Not yet but Frankie said that it would be okay. She loves to have company over. On top of us, there are about twenty others that are going."  
  
Kimberly laughed. "Will there be enough room do you think?"  
  
"Absolutely!" Trini laughed as she picked up the phone again. Glancing at the post-it note by the phone, she dialed in the number. "Hello, Rocky?"  
  
"Hey Trini! How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm good, thanks. Listen, Kim and I are going to go watch the fireworks at the bay tomorrow. Liberty Island is lit up like a Christmas tree on the fourth every year. You guys want to come along?"  
  
"Fireworks on Liberty Island?" Rocky grinned widely then called over his shoulders. "Hey guys! Fireworks tomorrow on Liberty Island, want to go?"  
  
"Who's on the phone?" Someone in the back bellowed.  
  
"Trini's asking!" Rocky shouted.  
  
"Give it to me." Jason said as he took the phone from Rocky's hand. "Hey, how are you doing?"  
  
"I'm doing just fine. You on the hand sound slightly out of breath." Trini grinned and pointed for Kim to pick up the other phone in the kitchen. "Don't you guys have more than one phone in the house?"  
  
"Yeah, Tommy's headed for the one in the living room now. I believe Adam and Rocky are all reaching for one as we speak. We were working out before." Jason grinned. "So what's this about Liberty Island?"  
  
"One of my former co-workers has graciously offered to host a number of people tomorrow to watch the fireworks on Liberty Island from the rooftop of her apartment building."  
  
"Is she cute?" Rocky asked.  
  
Kimberly rolled her eyes. "I'm sure she's beautiful."  
  
"Cool! I'm there."  
  
Trini giggled. "Oh yeah, she's absolutely beautiful for a fifty year old grandmother. But if that's your type Rocky, I'd be more than happen to set you up on a date with her. You might have to fight off her sixty-five year old boyfriend who works at an accounting firm. But I'm sure you can take him."  
  
Rocky laughed good-naturally. "Okay, okay, I'll behave."  
  
"So how about it?"  
  
"I'm gamed," Adam answered.  
  
"Me too." Jason agreed.  
  
"Hey, do they have boats out on the bay when this happen?" Tommy wanted to know.  
  
"Sure, some of the rich arty folks with boats usually take it out on to the bay to watch the fireworks." Trini answered with a grin. "Why?"  
  
"I wonder if we can rent one." Tommy mused.  
  
"I doubt it." Kimberly said quietly. "Besides, the event is tomorrow night. I'm pretty sure you need a whole lot of money and advance notice to rent one of those things."  
  
"I guess..." Tommy smiled. "Okay, rooftop fireworks sounds great Trini. Anything we need to bring?"  
  
"A bottle of champagne won't be out of place."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 3, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"A boat?" Jason asked with amusement as the others came back into the family room.  
  
"It would be a nice treat for everyone, won't you say?" Tommy grinned.  
  
"Yes but you heard Kimberly." Adam pointed out reasonably.  
  
"Doesn't mean that she's right." Tommy countered.  
  
"True."  
  
"And it would be a nice surprise if we can find one." Tommy glanced at the phone book and the phone company had left behind when they came around to check the phone lines early that week.  
  
Jason nodded in agreement. "And if we don't find one, there won't be any disappointment cause we agreed to that rooftop thing Trini was talking about."  
  
"Right." Tommy got up and grabbed the big book. "This would only be an extra bonus."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
Rocky rolled his eyes. "Oh boy!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 4, 2004 - Independence Day!  
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Whoa, Trini! Do you plan on feeding a whole army?" Kimberly laughed looking at the two big hampers on the dining room table. "And where did you get the baskets?"  
  
"The baskets are from my grandmother and Aunt Thuy. And no, not a whole army, just Rocky and the other guys!"   
  
"Good point." Kimberly grinned as she looked in. "What did you pack anyways? And why didn't you wake me to help out."  
  
"You looked tired last night so I thought I would do this myself. There's tuna fish sandwiches, egg salad, ham and cheese sandwiches, lemonade, iced lemon tea, cold cuts, fresh veggies, and some cans of soda." She put in paper plates, plastic utensils, plastic cups and colorful napkins. "I've also got chips and salsa in the canvas bag over by the door. Think that's enough?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Kim nodded enthusiastically. "I don't think even Rocky could complain about the lack of food." She scratched her head. "Do you always do this?"  
  
"Do what?" Trini asked as she gazed thoughtfully into the cabinet.   
  
"Cook until you drop."  
  
"I like cooking!" Trini said and grabbed the bag of chocolate chips. "Should I bake some cookie, you think?"  
  
"Trini! Stop. Relax. This is suppose to be a fun thing, not work you until you drop thing." Kimberly grabbed the bag of chocolate chips from Trini's hands. "You know, you scare me when you do that!"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Trini, I haven't been gone for so long that I don't remember our old habits. Cooking was the one you use to use when you were trying to keep from thinking too much about something." She looked at her best friend's eyes. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." Trini nodded her head as if trying to convince herself that. "I'm just anxious to please, that's all."  
  
"Sure, I believe you." Kimberly rolled her eyes. "And I have a bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell you."  
  
"Kim..."  
  
"Don't you Kim me! I know you better than that and we're going to..." The doorbell chimed happily. Kimberly sighed and shook her head then glared at a grinning Trini. "Saved by the bell."  
  
Stalking over to the front door, she yanked open the door to four gleefully grinning faces. Seeing her dark frown, they immediately felt slightly apprehensive.  
  
"Hey, Beautiful." Tommy said with a slight frown as she continued to scowl at them. "Something wrong?"  
  
"You guys have really lousy timing!" She growled before letting them in.  
  
"On the contrary," Trini said as she hauled one of the hampers toward the door. "They have exceptional timing for my benefits."  
  
Adam glanced from one to the other with a curious look. "Did we interrupt something?"  
  
"Nothing important." Trini smiled at them all. "Rocky, would you take this?"  
  
"Sure," he grabbed the handle and when Trini let go, nearly dropped the whole thing. "What the heck is in this thing? Rocks?"  
  
Trini grinned. "Lots of food and more to come. Jason , would you please help me in the dining room?"  
  
"Sure," he shook his head at Rocky as the man made a huge production out of carrying the hamper to the door. The minute he turned the corner leading to the dining room, he found himself shoved against the wall and thoroughly kissed.   
  
Trini grinned widely as she pulled back, much amused by the stunned look on Jason's face. "Enjoy that?"  
  
"Absolutely," he reached for her. "And I'd another one."  
  
"Nope," she pulled away from him. "That's the only one you're going to get since we have to be with the others today. On your best behavior, got it?"  
  
He saluted her. "Yes, madam."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Thank goodness that you and Trini are so skinny or we'd never fit all of us into one car." Adam commented as he squeezed in next to Kimberly, who had Tommy on the other side. Trini sat in front between Jason and Rocky. "Hey, Tommy, phone."  
  
"Oh yeah," Tommy pulled out his brand new cell phone and slipped it over Trini's shoulder. "Call your friend and cancel on the roof top thing."  
  
"What?" Trini tried to twist around but found Jason's broad shoulder in the way. "Why?"  
  
Jason grinned as he pulled his car away from the curb. "Cause we've got other plans."  
  
~~~~~  
(New York Harbor)  
  
"Oh my gosh," Kimberly stared at the small yacht in wonder. "It's beautiful."  
  
"Did you guys arrange this yesterday?" Trini asked as she continued to gaze at the white luxury that sat in the harbor before her.   
  
"Yup," Jason came up next to Trini and grinned from ear to ear. "The only one they had left that wasn't pre-arranged. We thought we'd surprise you girls with something nice. Like it?"  
  
"Like it?" Trini's eyes went wide as did her mouth as she laughed. "I love it." She threw her arms around Jason's neck and gave him a hug while resisting the urge to kiss him full on the lips. "It's wonderful!"  
  
"Hey do we get any of that?" Rocky teased with a laugh as Trini suddenly launched herself at him. "Hey, watch the hair!"  
  
"Well, I'm going to guess that we've made them happy." Adam sighed with a smile. "Happy 4th, ladies."  
  
Kimberly gazed over the blue ocean and smiled to herself. It truly was a new start for her here in the New York. "So how about we get on that ship and take it for a ride."  
  
"You read my mind, Beautiful." Tommy laughed as he raced the others to the boat.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Wow!" Rocky watched the sky lit up in brilliant colors behind the grand lady of liberty. "Look at that!"  
  
The torch on the statue was lip up with a billion tiny light bulbs and giant cascades of fireworks shot off the crown. The beautiful lady was lit by the million-dollar shower of firelight that graced the sky. In the harbor, boats rocked softly in the waves as their passengers watched the shower with awe. The moon choice to hide for the occasion, allowing the fireworks to be displayed on the beautiful star bejeweled night sky.   
  
"You enjoying yourself Kimberly?" Tommy whispered against Kim's ears as he pulled her gently into his arms and watched the sky.  
  
"It's wonderful, Tommy." Kim smiled and hugged his arms about her. "It's so beautiful."  
  
"Yeah it is," but his gaze was no longer on the sky, but at the woman in his arms. "More beautiful than words."  
  
Kimberly could feel herself go red. "Slowly, Tommy. You promised."  
  
"One step at a time, I know." Tommy smiled with amusement as he felt her shiver, and not from the warm night air. "Consider this our first date."  
  
She almost laughed. "It's going to be hard to top this kind of excitement."  
  
"Oh," he gazed thoughtfully off. "I can think of something that would top this on the scale of mind-blowing experiences."  
  
Kim clamped her mouth shut, not willing to rise to the bait. It was way too dangerous.  
  
Trini gazed down at the happy couple from the upper deck and sighed with contentment. "Looks like those two are on their way back together again."  
  
"You know that they would." Jason grinned as he poured himself more of the delicious lemonade that Trini packed. "Sit back and watch the fireworks, will you?"  
  
She sat down next to him and looked up at the bedecked sky. "This is wonderful. Thank you for arrange this!"  
  
"Tommy came up with the idea. We all just went along with it." He grinned at her. "And allow me to assure you that it is definitely worth every moment of it."  
  
"I can't remember a more perfect fourth of July than this. Well..."   
  
"What?" Jason asked as he looked at her face lit by sparklers.   
  
"Remember when we were in eighth grade and the school that that carnival that year for us? And we threw water balloons at each other until we were all soaked and watched the rocket display at the park?"  
  
"Yeah," he grinned in remembrance. "I do remember that. I also recall you and Kim pushing me and Zack into the pool afterwards."  
  
She laughed. "I had such a great time that night. That was the first time I spend a holiday away from my family and with friends. You guys were such good sports about the whole pool thing. I'm so happy right now, I wish day would never end."  
  
A since of completeness came over her serene face and Jason mentally agreed with her. It was a perfect moment in time that he would love to capture in a bottle. He savored the wonder of it. Jason grinned and was tempted to kiss her when Rocky stuck his head over ladder. "Hey, is there any food left?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Teaser line from next chapter: "Well, getting back at one in the morning might have something to do with it."   



	14. Doubts

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: This chapter is to everyone that's ever had bad relationship. I feel your pain, really I do. My dear Faith, we've all been there and lived through it.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Fourteen  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 5, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"SHIT!" Kimberly came running down the stairs trying to grab her purse, shoes, briefcase, laptop, and canister of coffee that Trini had prepared for her all at once.   
  
"Relax," Trini said as she helped Kimberly into her suit jacket. "You're not late yet."  
  
"I might as well be." Kimberly groaned as she glanced at her watch. "How did I over sleep so late?"  
  
"Well, getting back at one in the morning might have something to do with it." Trini pointed out unhelpfully.   
  
"You're not helping!"  
  
"I made you coffee, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes, thank you." Kimberly grabbed her stuff and headed out the door. "I'll see you later. Wish me luck."  
  
"You don't need luck, you're going to do great!" Trini said with a grin and waved merrily as Kimberly little Geo took off at a neck break screech. Trini winced and gave the tired marked pavement a sympathetic look. "I have a feeling that this is going to be a regular occurrence.  
  
Heading for her bedroom again, she wondered briefly if she should look over the portfolio that the Dermont, Boyle, and Malone Law had sent to her. She started her new job on Monday and it was probably a good idea to get better acquainted with her new firm before she headed in. The company was big enough that when they asked her to join their firm, Trini had been terribly flattered as well as relieved. The litigation cases on Housing and Development projects in the east side was beginning to wear her down. Three years on at Kilgerman and Helms Law had been a great three years, lots of experience and a sense of doing good. But it had been hard on her body. The long hours, over time, often over night stays at the east side and sleepless nights the night before the trials, it had been the only bad part of her job. The stress levels were going higher by the day and the possibility of an ulcer was becoming all too real, or so her physician says.   
  
With the new firm, it was less stress and more play since it was a contract company, lots of legalities of corporate world. No human suffering involved that would cause Trini undo stress due to the pressure of the work she was doing. It was a good move for her.   
  
Trini went to the metal file cabinet in the corner of her room and pulled open the top almost emptied drawer. Pulling out a red folder, she sat down at her desk to read over the content of the file in peace. The file held the summary of previous cases conducted by the company and the results. There were a few litigation cases on law rights and cover shields but they were a piece of cake compared to the heart wrenching poverty cases Trini was use to dealing with on an almost everyday basis.  
  
"Don't you look all serious and professional," Jason mused as he leaned negligently against the doorway to her room. "Good morning."  
  
Trini turned and smiled at him with what could only be described as that of a fond friend. "Morning to you too. What's up?"  
  
"Not much," he smiled and came into the room, glancing briefly at the file in behind her with disinterest. "I was going for my morning job when I was almost run off the road by a very hurried Kimberly. I barely had enough time to jump out of the way as she came barreling down on me. What's her hurry?"  
  
Trini laughed softly as Jason took her hand and played absentmindedly with her fingers. "She was afraid that she's going to be late for her first day on the job. The traffic in New York City is horrible during rush hour. I'm not going to say that she's right to be creating a road hazard but you know what they say about first impressions."  
  
"True." Jason nodded with understanding. "Got any coffee?"  
  
"Sure," Trini got up and tried to head for the door but Jason stopped her by giving her arm a tug.   
  
The kiss was soft, almost sweet in it briefness and carelessness. "I only asked cause I couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment."  
  
She grinned at the nonsense. "Do you want any?"  
  
"Not yet," he kissed her again, only this time it was a lot more intense and infinitely more intimate. "I stopped by to see how you were doing."  
  
"To see how I was doing?" She raised one brow in inquiry. "Is that all there is to it?"  
  
His arms came around her slowly as he stared up at the ceiling in pretense contemplation. "Pretty much, though if anything else came up along the way, I certainly won't mind at all."  
  
"I'll bet."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"I better get going," Jason stretched out slowly and looked around for his clothes. "They guys should be waking up now."  
  
Trini glanced at the alarm clock next to her bed. "It's almost ten in the morning. I thought they were all early risers."  
  
"Time difference has been a little weird on them. Plus we did get back pretty late last night." Jason said spotting his t-shirt under Trini's nightgown. "Want to come over for lunch with us?"  
  
"Hum...." She stretched the muscles across her back and smiled at him, feeling rather content with life at the moment. The past hour in bed had been wonderfully refreshing. "What are you guys having?"  
  
Jason made a face. "I'm going to guess pizza unless there are other venue of food that the guys like."  
  
She would have gagged if it had been polite. "I'm beginning to worry about your diet here. Is pizza your main source of nutritional supplement?"  
  
He shrugged. "I'll admit to having it quite a bit over the years."  
  
She shook her head and got up slowly to dress as well. "Then I'll pass on lunch. Tell you what," she picked a cool yellow baby tee and blue jean shorts from the dresser. "How about I make you guys something little healthier for dinner and bring it over to you after Kimberly gets back. It'll give Kim and Tommy a chance to talk afterwards. And you can show me this basement exercise room you put together."  
  
Nodding in agreement, Jason went and took her face in his hands. The kiss was sweet and lingering. "That's the best offer I've had in a long time." He kissed her again, taking his time to taste the unique sweetest that was hers. "I could get use to this."  
  
"This?" Her eyes went slightly cloudy with passion then cleared to caution at his words.   
  
"Yeah, your wonderful cooking and great sex." Jason grinned lightly sensing her sudden tension. It confused him but allowed it to pass not wanting to spoil the moment. "You going to wear something wonderfully sexy?"  
  
"What do you want me to wear?" Trini murmured against his lips, relieved but still feeling the tight knot in her stomach that formed so quickly that she fear it more that what it represented. "An apron over blue corset and garter belt?"  
  
Jason groaned and leaned his forehead against her. "You know exactly what to say to get a man's blood pumping don't you?"  
  
"I do try for something of that effect yes," she smiled and nipped lightly at his bottom lip. "Don't you think you should get going now before someone gets suspicious?"  
  
"Not after that image," he pushed against her shoulder but she resisted.   
  
"I don't think so, big boy." She stood up and smiled gently at him. "Go home. I'll bring dinner and Kim."  
  
"I'll take dinner and let Tommy have Kim." He grinned and took her hand. "Can I come over again tomorrow morning after Kim leaves?"  
  
She pretended to contemplate the question thoughtfully. "Yes, I do believe that a little company would be welcomed while I'm on vacation."  
  
"Then I'll be here." He gave her one more scorching kiss before reaching for the door. "Until tonight, my lady."  
  
She grinned like a happy fool long after he had pulled the door shut. Sighing over the wonderfully light feeling in her heart, she suddenly found herself looking at the fishes in the tank. Six fishes, six ex-boyfriends turned stalkers, six very big mistakes in her life. The smile slipped from her lips as she hugged herself tightly. She could still Jason's aftershave on her skin where he had so lovingly caressed and kissed.   
  
Past lovers had been gentle, kind, all that is wonderful before they turned all possessive and hurtful. Somehow the men attracted to her didn't want to treat her like an equal; they wanted to cherish her, protect her, put her on a pedestal, keep her, and possess her. They couldn't just love her.   
  
And she couldn't love them. Her heart had never allowed her to feel that spark of something special, the something that poets for centuries have tried to pen into words. While many men had spoken words of love, she has never felt the emotion they profess to have for her. It would always begin so beautiful, so easy. Then they would demand more, want more, need more and then it would get ugly, threatening, terrifying. A cycle that she couldn't seem to break out of.   
  
No, not this time. Jason was a friend, and a great sex partner. He wasn't one of them. No emotions were involved this time around, just friendship and sex. That's all she needed, all she wanted.   
  
A small part of her would acknowledge that sleeping in his arms that first night had been so....so peaceful, so wonderful. The sex was great, but the sense of calming peace afterwards, that was new. She liked that part the most. Yes, this was going to work out nicely.   
  
With a sigh, Trini got up and wondered into the kitchen. Lasagna looked good tonight. Or maybe chicken curry. Then again, the guys may like some roasted duck with orange sauce.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 5, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason's thought were running a mile a minute as he jogged up his drive way and around the back, intent on warming down before hitting the showers. The little moment in Trini's room has him concerned. The look in her eyes when he.... You're just imagining things that aren't there, man. Don't go looking for trouble where there aren't any. Perhaps she just didn't want you taking her for granted, most people are like that.  
  
Jogging in place, Jason shook his head over his own foolishness. He really was barrowing for trouble. Life has never been this good and he was looking for problems. I'm a idiot. He has a great new job coming up, a beautiful house that is coming along just peachy, and the most sexy woman on earth having a secret affair with him to bring spice into his life. Life just don't get better than this.  
  
"Jason, may I just say that you're crazy!" Adam muttered as he came out the back door and took a deep breath of that fresh country air. "How can you be up and jogging when I still feel like crawling back into bed and not getting out for another week. And I'm suppose to report in tomorrow."  
  
"I'm just lucky that I have a great inner clock and adjusts itself to whatever my needs are." Jason grinned and put aside his thought to be contemplated at a later time. "The others up yet?"  
  
"Rocky is still snoring away but Tommy was showering when I came down." Adam yawned and glanced at the sky. "Does it look like it's going to rain to you?"  
  
Jason looked up and frowned at the thick clouds. "Yeah, I'm afraid so."  
  
"Damn," Adam shook his head. "This is going to be worse weather than Dallas." He headed back inside while Jason laughed and continued to warm down.  
  
Tommy came into the kitchen just as Adam started the coffee machine and greeted him with his usual morning cheer. "Morning."  
  
"Ugh," Adam at him and went to wash the sleep out of his eyes.  
  
"Not a morning person, are you?" Tommy laughed as he pulled out a loaf of bread that Trini had given them the day before. "Hey, do you know if we have anything for toast?"  
  
"There's jam in the cupboard if you want it." Jason called from the back porch. "Butter in the frig."  
  
"Thanks!" Tommy called back. Dropping the bread, he went in search of the toaster. After a good five minute of opening every cupboard in the kitchen and searching the walk-in cabinet, Tommy finally gave up. "Jason?"  
  
"Yeah?" Jason answered as he came in covered in a thin sheen of sweat from this run that was only from Trini's condo to his house but enough to convince the others of his morning events.   
  
"Do you have a toaster?"   
  
Thinking about it, he shook his head. "No, I don't think so."  
  
Tommy sighed. "We're definitely going to have to go shopping soon, and not just for groceries either. We can't keep eating pizza and having to substitute everything. Plus, it seems unfair for you to provide for everything we need."  
  
"You guys are paying rent." Jason pointed out.  
  
"At our insistence." Tommy frowned. "I know you're a great friend and everything but let's not take this over board. You may own the house but we all live here and we should all pitch in."  
  
Jason shrugged. "Whatever man." He grabbed an apple off the big wooden bowl that Kimberly had set out days ago for them and filled with fruits that she and Trini had brought over for the bar-b-que. "I'm going to shower. Oh, by the way, your girlfriend almost ran me off the road this morning and Trini is making dinner for us tonight so don't make any plans."  
  
"What? What?" Tommy shook his head trying to allow his mind time to register all the information Jason had just provided in one breath. "Come again."  
  
The former gold ranger made a face. "Kimberly was in a hurry this morning and almost ran into me with her car while I was on my jog. Don't worry, she apologized by yelling out her window. Trini offered to make dinner for us cause she's in fear for our health since the only food we seem to be eating are delivered pizza. Any questions?"  
  
"When did you see Trini?" Tommy shook his head in an attempt to clear it.  
  
"This morning. I went to see her after the little run in with Kimberly. Wanted to see what was Kim's hurry that she would risk an accident for." Jason explained neatly and semi-truthfully. While he did wanted to know what was bothering Kimberly this morning so much that she didn't see him before it was almost too late, there was absolutely no reason for Tommy to know that he had gone there for other reasons as well. "Trini offered dinner when I offered lunch."  
  
"Cool!" Adam said as he walked back in time to catch the end of the conversation. "I love Trini's cooking. And can the girl ever cook!"  
  
"Yeah," Tommy smiled. "Our Trini is getting to be quite a chief. She's going to make some man an incredible wife one day."  
  
Jason grimaced in reaction but pushed the thought of his head. Marriage was not in the equation yet and just the thought of Trini married to someone, anyone, turned his stomach at the moment.   
  
"Hell," Adam grinned. "I'd marry her just for those wonderful éclairs she made the other day."  
  
Hearing enough for him to want to commit murder, Jason decided that retreat was the safest route for everyone. "I'm going to go shower. Someone order lunch."  
  
"Sure," Tommy sighed and looked at the slip of paper on the refrigerator. "Two large with the whole works again?"  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
Tommy sat down in the library/study room with the photo album he has been creating since hitting Angel Grove so many years before. There were dozens of the original rangers all together, happy. Some with the newer group, including Aisha and later Tanya. There were tons with Kimberly that he had hidden away during those years he had been with Katherine, unable to bring himself to burn or otherwise destroy them. They had met so much to him.   
  
There were pictures of his life with Kat as well, lots of them that signified a stage in his life. They meant something to him as well but never as much as those taken with his first love, his true love. It was strange, even after all this time, these were the ones that he come back to again and again.   
  
The recent pictures taken at the bar-b-que and on the boat were added to these now. Memories that he will cherish. These were special, marking a new start in his life, this time with Kimberly truly in it. For he has no doubt in his mind that his life will be good here and Kimberly will be a huge part in it.   
  
"Hey," Rocky sat down and looked at the album. "What's this?"  
  
"My life in a thousand words or less." Tommy smiled as he shut the book, not willing to share the memories with his friend quite yet. "It's private for now but maybe someday..."  
  
"Say no more," Rocky grinned good-naturally as he always does. "I totally understand."  
  
"Do you?" Tommy looked at his smiling friend. He had always taken for granted just how happy Rocky has become over the years. His outlook in life has not changed since their ranger days. They were both so happy then and he appeared to be as content with life now as he had been years before when they were both young and idealistic. "I guess you do."  
  
Rocky rolled his eyes. "I came to add some books in here."  
  
"What did you bring?" Tommy asked as he got up to help. "It had better not be Playboy cause remember out parents are likely to visit here sometime in the near future."  
  
"Damn!" Rocky snapped his fingers in mock regret. "I knew I should have brought something else to contribute to the house."  
  
Tommy laughed and look into the box of books that Rocky had had shipped here. "What's this? Guide to Surviving the Jungle, Who's Who of American Journalism, For The Love of Realism, Charles's Dicken's Tale of Two Cities... Wow Rocky, these are some very interesting books."   
  
"Hey," Rocky grinned. "I'm a journalist. What do you think I would be reading? Garfield and Friends?"  
  
"I just thought that since you were so easy going and so much like the way you were back in high school, you'd still have the taste of a nineteen year old." Tommy grinned letting him know that it was not a insult to him.  
  
"Hey, don't mock the X-Men! The comic is quality reading." Rocky said in all seriousness.  
  
"Hey you read it too?" Jason asked as he stepped in with his arms full of rolls of cardboard poster containers. "I've got the biggest collection sitting in storage right now."  
  
"You're kidding!" Rocky's eyes went wide. "How far back do you..."  
  
"I bought the limited edition of the first for $300 dollars." Jason pointed out.  
  
"Holy.... Please, you have got to..."  
  
"I'm having it brought in by..."  
  
"We so need to find a place to..."  
  
"Maybe we can use the bottom..."  
  
"How about..."  
  
Tommy shook his head with amusement and left the two to talk enthusiastically over converting one of the lower bookshelves into a comic book storage area.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 5, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Honey, I'm home!"   
  
"Awww....." Trini grabbed the towel from the oven door and pushed her hand under the already running water.  
  
"Trini?" Kimberly dropped her stuff and ran to the kitchen. "What happened?"  
  
"I wasn't looking and burned my hand on the pot." Trini could see the redness were she had brushed up against the boiling pot with the inside of her wrist. "I'm fine."  
  
"Do you have a burn kit in here?" Already going through the cabinets.  
  
"Look on the door of the frig. There should be a small white bottle that looks like a gore and has a gold cap on it." She patted her arm dry and winced with pain as she felt the pain begin now that the numbness of the cold water was gone.   
  
"What is this stuff?" Kimberly asked as she came over and unscrewed the cap off.   
  
"An ancient Chinese remedy made from herbs." Trini took a generous helping of the shark white cream and spread it over the wounded area. "It immediately helps with the burned area and its it from blistering or becoming worse." Now that she looked like she was wearing a white wrist guard, she sighed and leaned against the sink's edge. "See if you can find some long bandages from the first aid in the top cabinet over there."  
  
Kimberly didn't question it, just went to get it. "Here let me." She wrapped the wrist tightly and snipped off the end with a fine pair of scissor. "What were you doing?"  
  
"Making orange sauce for the duck." Trini replied before turning back to the pot.  
  
"Orange sauce?" Kimberly looked over the dividing counter that looked into the dining room and noted the dishes already sitting on the table, packed and ready to go. "Are we doing a dinner delivery service here?"  
  
"No," Trini managed a small smile. "I made some stuff for the guys so they aren't eating pizza three meals a day. We're eating over there tonight. Want to change first?"  
  
Kim looked down at her pale blue suit and nodded. "What did you make?"  
  
"Chicken curry with a hit of rosemary, spinach lasagna heavy with cheese, shepherd pie, pesto pasta, and roast duck with orange sauce. Now I all have do is make the orange sauce. The duck should be ready in ten minutes." Trini grabbed the potholder and hoped that it would help to keep her arm away from getting dirty.   
  
Kimberly sighed and leaned against the cabinet. "Okay, what's going on?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean you're cooking like a madwoman again. What happened?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Trini..."  
  
"Really, Kim. Nothing happened. I was just getting way ahead of myself."  
  
"Talk to me Trini, I'm your best friend."   
  
Trini looked at her. Her eyes revealed nothing as she started to stir the pot. "Kim, I've always talked to you about my problems and you've always been real understanding."  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"Remember my psycho ex-boyfriend?"  
  
"Which one?" Kimberly rolled her eyes. "You've had so many men not wanting to take no for an answer that I've lost count."  
  
Trini smiled, not the least offended knowing that Kimberly meant well. "Let me ask you this, do you remember my main problems with all the men I've dated in the past?"  
  
"That they worship the ground on which you tread?" Kim grinned at that. "I've never known anyone that could inspire so many men to want to protect and keep you. I mean, you are one of the strongest people I know and yet these guys treat you like you were helpless."  
  
"Love was like madness to them." The sauce was thickening to a wonderful aroma. "They were so in love and I wanted so badly to love them back but...."  
  
"You can't force love." Kimberly murmured. God knows that we've all tried at one point or another to try to love someone that we didn't really, deep in our hearts.  
  
"But why couldn't I just feel something more than the empty nothingness." Trini reached to the spices knowing that the guys like rich stuff. They loved me so passionately and I can't even bring myself to like them in the end. "I wanted to feel at least a little part of what they felt for me. But there was nothing there, Kim. Nothing there."  
  
Kimberly shook her head. "It's not your felt that you didn't love them. And what they had for you wasn't love. You don't try possess someone you profess to love. Love is..." Oh hell, who am I to try to define love to her. Look at the mess I made of my love life in the past. Thank god for Tommy! "Real love isn't like that."  
  
Trini turned and looked Kimberly dead in the eye. "Do you think I can love?"  
  
"What?"   
  
"Do you think I can ever fall in love? Do you think that I possess a heart that can love someone as much as they may love me?"  
  
"Trini!" Kimberly reached over and took her free hand. "You are the most generous and wonderful person I know. You have a heart bigger than anyone I know. You can love; you can fall in love. You just haven't met the right person yet."  
  
Trini nodded and turned back to the orange sauce. Or maybe I've already met them and just couldn't love them. "I need to tell you something."  
  
"What?" Kimberly frowned. The sadness in Trini's eyes was so unlike her usually twinkling friend.   
  
Trini turned the gas off and continued to stir the pot slowly not wanting the sauce to turn lumpy on her. "I've been seeing someone."  
  
"Really?" Kimberly's eyes went wide with surprise. "Who is it?"  
  
"Okay, maybe not really seeing him, just....." She bit her lip and mentally cursed herself for starting this conversation. "It's not a relationship by most definitions."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"We're sleeping together but not really dating."  
  
That was a shock to the former pink ranger's system. "You're having an affair?"  
  
Trini made a face. That sounded just so cold. "Well, kind of."  
  
"Is he married?"  
  
"NO!" She turned to her friend in shock. "I would never!"  
  
"I know, I know. But are you sure he's not? I mean, men have been known to lie about these thing." Kimberly made a face remember an old friend from the Pan Global that found herself in an impossible situation that not only ended her Olympic dreams but her future as well.   
  
"He is not married." Trini sighed and check the timer on the duck. It would not do to over cook the duckling. "I may not be good at relationships but I'm pretty good at reading men. Besides, I know this guy, and I know him well enough to know that he isn't like that. He's honorable and very good and ..."  
  
"Have you been being sleeping with him long?" Kimberly wasn't sure if she wanted to hear it but if Trini was getting her self into another traumatic relationship and perhaps gaining another stalker, then it was better to head it off at the pass.   
  
"No, not long. But..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"It's different." Trini sighed and looked at the clock. It was six ten already. "He's different. We're different."  
  
"Trini," Kimberly took her hand. "I'm not understanding."  
  
"I don't know how to explain it any better. He knows me. He's a friend and I trust him." Trini nodded to herself. "He cares about me, knows my habits and knows my faults, well some of them anyways." The duck looked great. Pulling out the big pan, she poured the sauce generously over the wonderful golden duck and inhaled the wonderful smell. "And this is just an affair not a relationship. Everything will work out."  
  
Kimberly frowned. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"  
  
There was silence. "We better get going soon before everything turns cold."  
  
Though she wanted to talk more, Kim could already see that Trini was clamming up. "Okay, I guess we should get going. But we'll talk again when you're ready."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Teaser line from next chapter: "I don't like seeing you hurt."   



	15. Past Problems

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: This one if for DevDev and Pricilla, thanks for always reading my story. Know that I always look forward to your responses. Thanks guys, more making me want to write everyday and not just for my pleasure, but for yours as well.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Fifteen  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 5, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"You want to just live here and cook for us for the rest of your life?" Rocky asked with the biggest grin on his face that she's ever seen.  
  
Trini laughed. "With the way your eat, I'd have to cook all the time just to keep up with you." She wiped her mouth delicately with a napkin before setting it down on her empty plate. "Now wasn't that better than your usual greasy pizza?"  
  
"Absolutely," Adam answered as he pushed his chair back. "I've had enough pizza to last me a lifetime. Want to lend me your cookbooks?"  
  
"Sure, if I get them back." She smiled and started to clean up.  
  
"Whoa there," Tommy stopped her with one hand. "You ladies cooked, we clean up."  
  
"She cooked," Kimberly said as she got up slowly fearing that she was going to burst from all the food she put away. She has a feeling that living with Trini just might be the thing to put her weight back up. "I just came home and watched."  
  
"Still, you ladies did provide us with the meal. The least we can do is do the dishes." Adam said with a smiled as he gathered up the plates. "By the way Trini, I've been meaning to ask you. What happened to your arm?"  
  
"Oh this?" She glanced briefly at the white bandage that graced her arm. She had change into a loose white long-sleeved blouse before leaving the house hoping to hide the damage. "Nothing, don't worry about it."  
  
Kimberly frowned at her. "She burned it at the stove."  
  
Jason reached over and took Trini's arm and looked at the bandage and frowned. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," trying to tug her arm from his grip, which was gentle but firm. "Really, it's just a minor burn. It'll be good as new in no time at all."  
  
"Good," Tommy said with a smile before pushing the door to the kitchen open. "Let's get these dishes done. Why don't you sit there and relax for a little while?"  
  
"Yeah, you've done enough for the day." Adam picked up a pile and followed.   
  
"Got any ice cream left from the BBQ?" Kim asked following the boys into the kitchen.  
  
The phone rang then and Rocky rushed to get it in the other room. "I'll get it. I'm waiting for something from my editor."  
  
There was silence as Trini relaxed back into her chair and closed her eyes.  
  
"I don't like seeing you hurt." Jason said running his hand lightly over the bandage. The sharp whiteness of the bandage against her skin was like slap in the face. It hurt him to see her hurt. "You need to be more careful."  
  
"Don't worry about me." Trini glanced quickly at the doors and leaned over to kiss him gently on the lips. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it for quite some time now."  
  
"I know," he leaned against the table and fought to keep his hands away from her. "I just... I was just worried that's all. I know that you are one of the most capable people in the world." Jason smiled and shook his head. "I mean, how many people can say that they've saved the world more times over than the US army?"  
  
Trini laughed. "Everyone in this house."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Trini really okay?" Adam asked with some concern. "Maybe I should take a look at the thing."  
  
"Not unless you want her to kick your ass." Kimberly laughed as she spooned more ice cream into the delicate crystal bowls on the table. "The last thing Trini wants is to be treated like a helpless damsel in distress. She's fine, leave it be."  
  
"But if she is hurt more than she..."  
  
"Adam," Tommy landed the man another dish to dry. "Trust me when I say that you should never argue with a woman when it comes to their best friends. It makes for a rather messy clean up when she spill your guts on the floor when she thinks that you've offended her judgment and loyalty to her friend."  
  
Kimberly grinned. "Is that from experience or are you just making an observation?"  
  
"Observation, my dear. I would never be so unwise as to tell a woman what to do." He turned to smile at her rather wolfishly.   
  
"Wise man," Adam nodded as he wiped off another dish.  
  
"Damn it!" Rocky grabbed another towel off the rack as he came in. "I have to be on assignment tomorrow! Of all the dumb stupid luck!"  
  
"What's up, Rocko?" Tommy asked mildly.  
  
"The DC correspondent is sick with the stomach flu. They need someone there for the conference on AIDS this week and my editor suggested me for it. I leave tomorrow morning." He slammed the dish into the rack with more force than necessary.   
  
"Hey, my grandmother gave me those dishes." Jason said as he came in. "Be a little more gentle with them."  
  
"Sorry, man." Rocky sighed and looked at the clock. "I leave in less than twelve hours time."  
  
"Why?" Jason asked as he pulled the frig door open. He seem to recall putting in some fruits earlier.   
  
"DC people are sick, they need Rocky there now." Adam answered for him as they finished with the dishes. "Hey, would someone ask Trini if she wants her pots back."  
  
"Yes I want them back," Trini called from the door. "They are very expensive and very good cooking pots."  
  
"I don't doubt that." Adam called back with a smile. "So Rocky, want to get in another sparring session before you take off tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure, may help me work off some of this anger."  
  
"Sparring?" Trini's head popped around the corner. "Did I hear someone say that they're sparring?"  
  
"Yeah," Tommy wiped his hands off and reached for a bowl of ice cream that Kimberly had set out. "Rocky is on the next plane out to DC and wants to get a little more practice in before he takes off."  
  
"Can I join in?" Trini asked as she grabbed one of the tall counter stools and helped herself to come dessert. "I could just a little bit of that myself."  
  
"You still practice?" Adam asked as he and Jason joined them.  
  
"Every chance I get. But there aren't a lot of people around here that's willing to spar with me." Trini grumbled.   
  
Tommy laughed. "Well with us around, you won't be lacking in a partner."  
  
"That's good to know." Trini turned to Kim. "Well? You going to go in on this?"  
  
"And turn out with black and blue bruises plus aching muscles in the morning?" Kim made a face. "No way. There isn't an outfit made in the world to cover up walking like a duck."  
  
The others laughed and finished off the dessert before heading down to the workout room. Kimberly came down to watch, not wanting to be left out. "Wow, this place is great."  
  
"I'm going to have the ceiling reinforced so we can hang sandbags up for boxing." Jason pointed to the big metal hook. "I think it could probably hold a two hundred pounder if we position it right."  
  
"In the corner though." Tommy pointed out. "We may be strong but hauling a two hundred pound of sand bag up and down could be trying even with all four of us working together."  
  
"Absolutely." Jason nodded and reached for knuckle bracers. "Okay, with Trini here, let's go for the light stuff."  
  
"No need to worry about me, Jase." Trini smiled and reached for the gloves. "I can handle anything you dish out at me. Who wants to go first?"  
  
"Not that we doubt you," Tommy said with a quick wink to Jason. "But we want a light session here."  
  
The phone rang and everyone looked up. Adam, closest to the stairway, nodded to the others. "You guys get started. I'll go see who it is."  
  
"Thanks man." Tommy pulled the bracers on and knocked his knuckles together. "Okay Trini, I'll go first with you."  
  
"No way," Kimberly stepped in and stopped them both as Trini took up her position across from the former white ranger in the big white circle at the center of the mat. Better head this one off. "Pick someone else first."  
  
"I don't mind, Kim." Trini said with a chestier cat grin that told Kim she knew exactly what Kim was thinking of.  
  
"I was talking to you, Trini." Kim made a face. "I happen to like Tommy's face exactly the way it is. And you tend to start off hard when you're sparring."  
  
"What are you saying?" Tommy put his hands on his hips frowning at her. "You think that I can't take Trini on?"  
  
"No, that's not what I'm saying." Though she privately thought it. "I'm just saying that Trini is a girl and you tend not to play as hard when you spar with a girl. But Trini doesn't have that kind of reservation when it comes to this stuff." In other words, while you may pull your punches, Trini will not.  
  
"I'll go then." Rocky sat up as he finished wrapping his hands. "I won't be so easy on a girl."  
  
"But be all the evil female villains you've had to deal with." Trini teased, her eyes twinkling in amusement.  
  
"That and the many sisters and cousins that use to love beating on me." Rocky returned with his usual boyish grin. "Come on, let's rumble."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Watch your left Rocky!" Adam called out just before the flat of Trini's foot connected with the side of Rocky's head. Wincing in sympathy, he was infinitely glad that he didn't volunteer to go up against Trini first.   
  
Rocky shook his head to clear his vision as Trini bounced back to give him time to recover. "Damn girl, where did you learn to fight like that?"  
  
"From my many lovers." Trini answered with a quicksilver grin. "You'd be surprised at what a girl can learn in a relationship."  
  
"What does that mean?" Jason asked with a deep frown.   
  
Kimberly winced as Rocky came swinging and barely missed breaking Trini's nose by an inch. "She means that when a girl says no, some guys won't take no for an answer. That's when all the wonderful practice we got as Power Rangers comes in handy."  
  
Tommy turned sharply toward the petite brunette next to him. "You ever had problems like that?"  
  
"No," Kimberly shook her head quickly. "But Trini has more than her share of possessive men."  
  
"Don't remind me," Trini grunted as she blocked Rocky's foot. "I am a firm believer in every woman taking self defense lessons. You never know when it might come in handy."  
  
"Do they ever get violent?" Jason asked masking his rage behind a shield of curious concern.   
  
"Sometimes," Trini answered wishing to hell she'd never brought this subject up. "But nothing that I can't handle."  
  
Kim laughed. "I seem to recall you putting one of them in traction."  
  
"His fault," she took a hard right and brought her left arm back in time to catch Rocky off guard, knocking the poor guy onto his back. "You okay?'  
  
"What did he do?" Adam asked with a frown. It had never occur to him that something like this would happen to one of his friends. There have been cases at the hospitals and he's heard more than enough of them on TV but for it to affect someone he called a friend, it was somehow more personal.   
  
Rocky groaned and took the hand that Trini offered gratefully. "Remind me to never volunteer to spar with you again."  
  
Trini smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "You've been more than a great sport about this."  
  
"I'll go next." Tommy volunteered and hoped that Trini had been at least slightly worn out from her first session. From what Jason had hastily whispered to him earlier, he was probably in for one hell of a fight. "So, you were saying?"  
  
"What?" Trini asked slightly distracted by the darkness in Jason's eyes. He's getting that same look that the guys gets when they are jealous or angry. Please, don't be stupid Jason. Don't ruin what we have now! Don't get all offended and possessive on me!  
  
"What did the guys you put into traction do?" Adam asked again as he helped Rocky from his gear.  
  
"He threatened to sue." Trini answered lightly as Tommy took up position in front of her. Hum...Tommy is a big guy. Better watch his rights.  
  
Everyone laughed. "No, I meant what did he do to make you put him into traction in the first place."  
  
"Oh that," she shrugged and sighed. If she didn't tell them, they would likely be able to find it in the local newspaper archives anyways; it was practically on the front page. "He broke into my apartment and tried to force the issue after I dumped him."  
  
Rocky frowned in confusion. "When you say force the issue, you don't mean..."  
  
"I mean force the issue." She gave him a look significant enough for the full meaning to sink in.   
  
"Oh," there was silence.  
  
Tommy stopped in the mid-swing. "Are you kidding?"  
  
"Do I look like I'm joking?"   
  
They all turned to Kim for confirmation. She merely nodded her head with a sigh.   
  
"Wait," Jason shook his head as if trying his best to digest everything that was being revealed to him. "Kimberly said he was one of them, implying that there was more than one."  
  
Trini sighed and sat down on the mat, instinctively knowing that the sparring session has now officially come an end. "Well, other than that one. I've also files three other restraint orders against past boyfriends that did know how to left go. The other two left after I beat some sense into them, literally. I've been stalked more times than most movie stars. But I've always managed to come up on top each time. So don't worry guys, I'm a survivor." She looked at the stunned male faces around her. "I'm going to guess that it's time for me to go before you all try to smother me with concern."  
  
"Trini..."  
  
"Don't!" Trini backed away from Adam so quickly that he was startled. "I hate it when guys do that!"  
  
"Do what?" Tommy asked his eyes going dark in rage on her behalf.   
  
"That!" Pointing to Adam's outstretched arms. "I hate it when men feel that they have to comfort and protect me from all the men I've known. I know how to take care of myself. I don't need people, especially guys, to protect me. I can't help it if I bring out the worse possible possessive instinct in people but there it is. I don't need to be protected from it since I know how to handle it now. After six times, you'd think I learn from my mistakes."  
  
"What about this new guy?" Kim asked quietly, missing the sharp look from Jason.  
  
"What new guy?" Rocky asked with a bewildered look on his face.  
  
"He is different." Trini said defensively. "Look, I don't want to talk about this anymore." She removed her gear in sharp movements. "I think I'm going to call it a night."  
  
"Trini?"   
  
"What?" she turned to look at Jason, who had been quiet.   
  
"I'll walk you home." He said. "I want to talk to you."  
  
She sighed and resigned herself to it. "All right."  
  
Jason helped her up and gave Kim a look that told her not to follow just quite yet. Kimberly merely nodded in response. This night was nothing any of them quite expected.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"So how did you enjoy dinner?" Jason asked after walking some time in silence.  
  
Trini laughed. She had been so tense and anticipating the inevitable that the question took her completely off guard. "It was good."  
  
"It should be, you cooked it." He smiled. "You are an amazing cook."  
  
"Thank you." She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Aren't you going to ask me?"  
  
"Ask you what?"  
  
"Why I went out with men that were not good for me?" She rolled her eyes as if it was obvious.  
  
"No." He shook his head. "It's none of my business. Besides, you were right. You're more than capable of handling things yourself. You are not someone that waits around from her prince charming to show up on a white steed to rescue you. You are more than capable of rescuing yourself from stupid men that can't appreciate you for what you are." Like me, for instance.  
  
That took her by surprise. "You mean that?" Hum... First guy I know that's okay with a woman that can handle her own. That's interesting.  
  
"Absolutely." He smiled and glanced down the street. "That's what I always admired about you. You take no shit from anyone. If prince charming came along right now and offered you a glass slipper, you're more than likely to throw it back in his face." He leaned over and kissed her lips. Doesn't mean that I'm not going to try though. "How long do you think Kim is going to wait before following?"  
  
"By the way Tommy was looking at her earlier, I'm going to say that she probably won't be hurrying home anytime soon if he had anything to say about it." She grinned thanking her stars that Jason was such a wonderful friend to her and understood her so well. "You could stay a little if you want. I doubt that she'll come back until you show up back at your place again."  
  
"So we get to do whatever we want while they want to give us time to allow you to unburden yourself to your former team leader." He smiled, not feeling the least bit guilty over taking advantage of their friend's misconception.   
  
"Yeah," she looped her arms around his neck, ignoring the big street lamp that probably lit them up for anyone that was looking out their window. "What do you say you and I have our own little private sparring session? I'll even go easy on you." She nipped playfully at his lips then ran her tongue slowly, tantalizingly over them.   
  
"Easy on me? When have you ever been easy on... Hum... I second thought, I think I'm going to like this."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Think she's going to give him hell if he tries to mother her?" Rocky asked as they made their way into the living room.   
  
"Jason and Trini are old friends. They've known each other as long as I've known them." Kimberly smiled and shook her head. "Jason knows better than to try to protect her from the world."  
  
"So what do you think he wanted to talk to her about?" Adam asked, his eyes still filled with concern. As one that practices the art of healing, he cannot help but want to repair that which is wounded, in this case Trini's spirit.  
  
Tommy shrugged his shoulder. "Knowing Jase, he's probably trying to draw her out of her shell, get her to talk a little. May help a great deal."  
  
"I wish him luck then," Kimberly sat down with a sigh. "Cause I've gotten nowhere with her on this. And now with this new guy in her life..."  
  
"What new guy?" Adam asked going back to the earlier topic that was left behind.   
  
"Trini says that she's recently been sleeping with someone new."  
  
"Excuse me?" Rocky could not picture the shy pretty girl he knew before in a sex affair of any kind.  
  
"You heard me." Kim groaned and covered her face with her hand. "Her theory is that she's no good with relationships. Guys fall in love with her, or so they say, and she can't seem to fall in love back. She thinks there is something wrong with her, that her heart is not capable of love."  
  
Tommy scoffed. "That's ridiculous."   
  
"That's what I said. But she's bound and determined to think that way. So an affair that doesn't involved emotions is her solution to her dilemma of the heart. Sex and nothing more is what she thinks she's good at."  
  
"Really?" Rocky scratched his chin. "So who's she sleeping with?"  
  
"I don't know. She won't give me a name and I didn't want to push." Kim sighed and studied the room. "Nice place, I didn't get a good look at it last time."  
  
"Jason has one hell of an eye for décor." Tommy nodded his agreement. The wonderful Victorian style furniture should have clashed with the modern oak and glass pieces that Jason bought but it all seem to fit together to create something totally unique and wholly wonderful.   
  
"Okay," Adam grinned and got up slowly. "The shift in conversation would be our cue to leave. Come on Rocky, I'll help you pack for your trip tomorrow morning. Plus, I've got to go to bed early so I can check in at the hospital."  
  
"Night guys," Rocky looked like the cat that swallowed the thousand dollar goldfish. "Hey Adam, think you could drop me off at the airport on your way in?"  
  
"Sure," Adam nodded his farewells. "Night kids, don't do anything I would have to go into theory of the rest of me life if I see it."   
  
Kimberly blushed a horrible shade of red while Tommy left and chased them from the room with well aimed bellow at Adam's backside.   
  
"Don't pay attention to him," Tommy said with a grin on his face big enough to split it. "He isn't so lily white."  
  
"Oh god," Kimberly giggled as she thought of all the possible scenarios that could be running through two healthy male minds right now. "You and your friends."  
  
"My friend?" Tommy put his hands on his chest in mock offense. "They happen to be your friends as well you know. Who brought them into the Power Rangers?"  
  
"If memory serves correct, that would be Billy and Trini." Kim pointed out.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Wipe that stupid look off your face. Nothing is going to happen tonight. I'm only here so long as Jason is with Trini. The minute he's back, I'm going to go home, take a hot shower and crawl into bed."  
  
"Can I crawl into it with you?" He asked mildly.  
  
"No." with finality.  
  
"You're sure about that?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
Tommy sighed in disappointment. "I can't talk you into staying in mine tonight?"  
  
"Tommy..." warning was heavy there. "You promised."  
  
"One step at a time, yes. Can't blame a guy for trying though."  
  
"Can't I?"  
  
"Well it's not like I get a whole lot of alone time with you living in a house with four other guys in it. Plus we all happen to be friends and..." He scratched his head. "What are you doing tomorrow night?"  
  
She eyed him cautiously. "Why?"  
  
"So suspicious," he laughed.  
  
"Only of people that not two minutes ago asked me if I wanted to go to bed with them."  
  
He laughed again and picked up her hand, fiddling with her fingers. "I thought maybe we can go to the movies together. Just the two of us."  
  
"Just the two of us?"  
  
"Yeah, and then we can get a late dinner."  
  
"Late dinner?"  
  
"And then maybe a little good night kiss."  
  
"A good night kiss." She looked at him doubtfully. "That sounds nice."  
  
"And please, feel free to invite me to bed afterwards if that is your inclination."  
  
Kimberly sighed. "One track mind."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from next chapter: "I'm tell you, if I wasn't sure I was falling back in love with her before, I sure the hell am now."  



	16. The Dating Game

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To Morgan for making me feel better about not having anything out in a few days. This story is going along nicely but not really in the direction that I had wanted when I started out. Strange how that always happens to me! I'm hoping that everyone is having as much fun reading it as I am of writing it.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Sixteen  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 6, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Trini rushed down the stairs at a dead run as Kimberly closed the front door shut on the face of a rather disappointed Tommy. "Tell me everything and don't leave out any details."  
  
Kimberly nearly giggled like a schoolgirl but put her finger to her lip, waiting to hear Tommy go down the steps first. The evening that been wonderful, a lighthearted romantic comedy at the movies, a long and lingering pizza dinner, and a lasting sweet passion-filled kiss that left both of them wanting for more. But Kim was determined to take this slow and easy, get to know each other all over again.   
  
"Well? Well? Don't leave me hanging girl!" Trini bounded on to the sofa and sat on her knees waiting for Kimberly to stop twirling around the room like a moony eyed young girl in love for the first time in their life. "Come on already!"  
  
"Oh Trini, it was so beautiful I could have cried." Kimberly made one last turn and flopped down on to the couch with a sigh of pure pleasurable content. "He was so gentle and wonderful. We talked for hours over dinner and took a walk in the park. He picked a daisy for me. A daisy, my favorite, and he remembered."   
  
"Ohh... It sounds romantic." Trini pulled her knees up and hug them close. "So?"  
  
"So... oh, I don't know, I just..." Kimberly sniffed the air suddenly with mild curiosity. "Did you spray the couch with Febreeze or something?"   
  
"Yeah," Trini cringed with slight embarrassment. She had spray the couch generously with the odor remover to cover the smell of sex left from Jason's visit some two hours before. The man certainly didn't wait long after Kim and Tommy had left. "I had nothing better to do."  
  
Kim rolled her eyes at her. "You could have gone to visit the guys you know. I'm sure they won't have minded the company."  
  
"I think going over there every night this past few days has been enough. I don't want to intrude on their privacy. After all, it is there home."  
  
"True," Kim shrugged. "And I'm sure they are all still trying to adjust and settle in."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Besides, too much of a good thing could be trying."  
  
Trini grinned mentally thought of the wonderful sex that was had and silently disagreed with Kim.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 7, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason towel dried his hair and stepped out of the bathroom. "Whoa..."  
  
"Sorry," Tommy nodded his head. "Didn't mean to frighten you."  
  
"No problem." Jason tossed the towel around his neck and grinned suddenly. "How was your moonlite stroll with Kim?"  
  
"Beautiful." Tommy sighed and flopped onto the bed. "She was beautiful. Man Jase, I'm tell you, if I wasn't sure I was falling back in love with her before, I sure the hell am now. She was absolutely amazing in the moonlight. All pale skinned beauty and fire in her eyes, I could have stood there and watched her forever." He closed his eyes and could almost see her just like that in his mind's eye, only in his bed with the moon shining through the window.   
  
"Man, you've got it bad." Jason laughed all the while watching his friend with rather envious eyes. It would be nice to feel so deeply about someone. His mind shifted to an hour before, when Trini had showed up at the door, fresh from a run and asking if he was alone in the house. They had a mad dash to the bedroom when he had answered yes. Than again, maybe I'm already half way there. "So?"  
  
"She let me kiss her good night." Tommy's smile showed a whole lot of teeth. "Third time is a charm."  
  
"Sex isn't the be all and end all you know."   
  
"I know that. It's just been so long and I have never been with her. You don't know how many times I've dreamt of being with her. Having her in my arms and being a part of her in every sense of the word. I could wept with wanting to see her..."  
  
"Okay, okay. I get the picture. Hell, I'm getting too much of the picture." Jason muttered. "So, you think she's going to..."  
  
"I don't know." Tommy shrugged. "But like you say, it's not the end all of everything."  
  
"Just don't push her if she's not ready."  
  
"I know, I know. I can wait as long as she needs to. Though that would probably mean even more freezing cold showers for me than the ones I've already been taken lately." Tommy sniffed the air. "Did you change the sheets? I smell that fabric softer you use."  
  
"Yeah, I thought I would change them while I had the time." Jason said casually. It was also the only way to get rid of the smell of sex from the room even with all the windows opened. A scent he had no doubt that Tommy would have picked up in a second. And given Tommy's heightened hormones, it was probably not a good idea to test him.  
  
"But didn't you just put in new ones when you moved in last week?"  
  
"I just wanted some fresh sheets, that's all."  
  
"Oh, okay." Not questioning it for a moment.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 8, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"We had dinner and went dancing at a club. And man, can the boy move!" Kimberly laughed as she flopped onto Trini's bed, her gossamer pink dress fluttering to a stop.   
  
Trini grinned happily at her friend as she tucked her chin into her pulled up knees. "So, things are going good then?"  
  
"Good? Things are going fantastic! It couldn't be better." Kimberly sighed with the full contentment of a woman that knows a man loved her.  
  
"Can't it?" Kimberly's eyes peeked open to see the knowing look on Trini's much amused face.  
  
"Now, Trini..." She sat up slowly to face her friend. "I know what you're thinking."  
  
Trini shrugged with all innocence. "I have no idea what you're taking about. I'm just saying its been three very lovely dates for you and... I'm sure it's been a while."  
  
"Wipe the grin off your face." Kimberly warned with a wiggling finger.   
  
Trini laughed. "I'm just suggesting that..."  
  
"I know what you're suggesting." Kim sighed and groaned. "Don't you think that I think about it? For heaven sakes, the man's got a body you simply want to eat up and gorge yourself until you can't breath." She whimpered and lay down on the bed again. "God, the way he danced tonight, you know exactly what he wanted by the way he..."  
  
"Okay that's enough," Trini help up one hand to stop her and covered her eyes with the other. "I have a pretty good imagination and I can pretty much conjure up what he was doing all night." She sighed and leaned against the heavy headboard. "So, why didn't you jump him if you were so hot for him? I'm sure he won't have minded in the least."  
  
Kim shook her head. "Time, Trini. We need time to..."  
  
"Don't give me that. You've wanted to jump the boy since the minute you found out that he was living in the same vicinity as you. This is your best friend you are talking to, don't try to lie to me."  
  
The former pink ranger made a rather irritated face at her friend for her honesty. "I can't help it if the man was born with a body to give women fantasies. So what if I want to work him until he can't walk straight the next day. I'm a young healthy female, it's only natural given the right provocation."  
  
Trini laughed hard enough to nearly hurt herself. "Oh man, I wish Tommy could hear you now."  
  
She groaned and looked at her best friend again. "I want him, I won't deny that. But I want to get to know him again. I can't just jump into bed with him so quickly; I want it to be right. I want it to be perfect."  
  
Nodding her head with understanding, Trini sighed and squeezed Kim's hand. "I know."  
  
Kimberly sighed and got up. "In the mean time, I need a nice cold shower." She turned to leave but frowned. "What's this?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"This," Kim held up a small pink plastic compact. "Is this birth control pills?"  
  
"Yeah," Trini sighed and got off the bed. "Thanks for reminding me."  
  
"You're on the pills?"  
  
"Yeah, it's a way to keep from getting pregnant. Speaking of which, you better be careful if you and Tommy do decide to..."  
  
"I will, I will." Kimberly frowned at the compact of pills that Trini held in her hand. "Are you still seeing that guy?"  
  
"What guy?" Trini asked completely avoiding Kim's gaze.  
  
"Trini..."  
  
"I'm not ready to talk yet."  
  
With a sigh, Kimberly went to take her shower. Trini breath easy again once the door closed. Don't want to think about it, don't want to think about it.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 8, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Better?" Adam asked with a grin on his face that told the others that he was enjoying Tommy discomfort.  
  
"Not really," Tommy grumbled as he rubbed the towel over his hair. "This is the fifth cold shower this week, I can't keep this up much longer."  
  
Jason rubbed his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "So what happened tonight?"  
  
"Nothing, that's what happened." His disgruntled tone was enough to make Jason want to laugh out loud again but he was quick to suppress the urge.  
  
Adam on the other wasn't so considerate of his friend's distress and snickered rather unsympathetically. "Well, you know that Kim's rather conservative when it comes to this stuff. Have you thought that maybe she's simply not ready to... you know."  
  
Tommy groaned and leaned back into the chair. "She's killing me here."  
  
"We know."  
  
"You see before you a suffering, dying man." Tommy looked up at the faces of his so-called friends. "Wipe those smirks off your face before I decide to do it for you."  
  
Jason held up his hand in surrender. "Listen, it'll happen when it happens. You can't rush stuff like this and if you do, it may very well backfire on you. Just take your time."  
  
"You know what it is?" Adam said thoughtfully. "It could be cause you both don't place a quiet place of your own. I mean, where would you go even if you wanted to... you know."  
  
"Adam, you're a doctor. Are you having trouble saying the word sex?" Jason asked with a mocking frown.   
  
"Shut up!" Adam threw the couch cushion at him. "No, I'm serious here. Would the two of you come here? With Rocky, me and Jason walking around and Rocky's habit of not knocking when entering a room?" He pointed out irrefutably. "And Kim's place?"  
  
Tommy groaned again with heartfelt pain. "Not with Trini right next door. I would never hear the end of it if she heard anything at all."  
  
"Plus waking up in someone's bed is hard enough as it is," Adam continued with a slight cynical smile. "Waking up to face your lover and their roommates could be very discouraging to a rather shy young woman. Doesn't really help that we all know each other and are friends."  
  
Jason nodded his head. He knew that he would never live it down if Kim were to ever catch him with Trini. "I hate to say it but I have to agree with Adam here. The lack of privacy could be a really big issue."  
  
"I don't particularly care at this point but...." Tommy nodded his head in defeat. "You're right. So what do I do?"  
  
"Two solutions." Adam said picking up the glass of water he had on the wonderful cork coaster that Jason has. "One, you guys end up in a motel somewhere to do the nasty."  
  
"I would never force her to endure that kind of....of.... I don't what it is but I would never do that to her. Next solution."   
  
"One of your move out to find your own place so that you guys could at least be alone every once in a while in the privacy of your own place."   
  
Jason frowned. "Whoa... he just moved in."  
  
"I didn't say that it had to be him." Adam pointed out.  
  
"Kim just moved in with Trini. And I don't think she has any plans of moving out anytime soon." Tommy murmured. "That comes back to me."  
  
"You aren't really thinking about moving are you?" Jason asked with a frown. "I mean...."  
  
"Well, it's not like you are lacking in roommates Jase." Tommy nodded. "And Adam is right, things might be easier on me and Kim if her actually had some privacy."  
  
"But..." Jason stopped himself. He was hardly someone that can give advise on this. Tommy's frequant and recent dates with Kim has given him a chance to be with Trini a lot more than before. He hated to see that end but he wanted what was best for his best friends. "I guess you are right."  
  
"And you're not down on the rent. I mean, how much did you make last year?"   
  
"How much did you make, Jase?" Adam asked curiously.  
  
"About four million." Jason answered rather absentmindedly.   
  
"Excuse me?" Adam's eyes went wide. "Come again?"  
  
"Stocks and stuff. I like the market." Jason muttered while thinking to himself. If Tommy were to move out, that would leave three rooms empty until Billy came along. And if Tommy was to move Kim into his place after some time, maybe he could talk Trini into moving in with him and the guys. Not only would that be very nice for their home atmosphere with a woman around, but he would get more time with her without all that jogging, not that he intended to give up his daily jogs.   
  
"And he's good at it too. I can't believe you saw that dip coming before me." Tommy complained. "You should have become to the stock broker."  
  
"It's a hobby." Jason answered.  
  
"Hobby?" Adam shook his head. "Want to handle my finances for me then? Cause I'm terribly at it. At the rate I'm going, I'll be broke by the time that I'm thirty. Plus there are all those loans I took out for medical school."  
  
"Sure," Jason shrugged his shoulders. "Now about this whole moving thing..."  
  
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Adam held up his hand. "It is just an idea and we need to get some sleep now. Jason? You going for your nightly jogs tonight?"  
  
"What?" his head snapped up. "No, not tonight. Getting too late and I'm kind of tired. I'll run tomorrow morning."  
  
"Okay then, see you two tomorrow." Adam was almost at the stairs when he turned back. "Oh, I start my residency on Monday. Crazy hours, so I'll post a schedule that way you guys can always find me."  
  
"Thanks, Adam." Tommy waved his hand. "Night."  
  
"Good night, Adam." Jason turned his head to watch his friend go up the stairs. He watched Tommy for a while, his friend had turned rather silent and thoughtful. "Adam really had you thinking about that whole moving thing, hasn't he?"  
  
"A little privacy time with Kim would be nice." Tommy admitted.   
  
"How about I arrange for you and Kim to get the house for a couple of hours tomorrow? You can see if that's the problem and then decide." Jason offered.   
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, Trini said something a couple of days ago about wanting to see a movie. I'm sure Adam would like to see something, and if he doesn't, I'm sure I can talk him into it. And if I can't, well, I'll just sic Trini on him. That way, you and Kim could have the place to yourselves for a while. What do you say?"  
  
"I say that you're the best friend that any man could have. Thanks man!"   
  
"What are friends for?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 9, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"So just bad is he feeling it now?" Trini asked with a grin with laugher still shining in her eyes.  
  
Jason frowned mockingly at her. "You know, it's considered not nice to take pleasure from your friend's pain."  
  
"That bad?"  
  
"He's had five cold showers this week." Jason admitted reluctantly. Trini went into another peal of laughter as she rolled around in bed. "Trini! Stop that."  
  
"I can't help it." Trini took a deep breath to calm herself and rolled onto his chest. He was all warm and comfortable from the pleasurable hour they just spent in her bed after Kimberly had left for work. "Okay, so we drag Adam out with us tonight to give Tommy and Kim some alone time?"  
  
"That's the plan." Jason lifted his head and kissed her gently on the nose. "And then see if the whole privacy issue is the problem to their recent inability to....get any."  
  
Trini giggled again. "Okay, I could use a night out at the movies."  
  
"Good, I'll talk to Adam when I get back."  
  
"And where does out good doctor think you're at right now?" Trini asked taking a gentle little nip at his throat. Her teasing fingers began to absentmindedly draw little figures on his chest until he grabbed her hand. She thought it he was ticklish; he thought she was trying to drive him crazy.  
  
"He thinks I'm jogging again."  
  
"Boy, you've been doing a lot of jogging this week. Twice a day in fact."  
  
The mischievous twinkle in her eyes made Jason grin little a little boy with his new toy. "Well, you know what they say about a good thing, you want to enjoy it as long as possible."  
  
"I suppose." She sat up slowly, searching the sheets with her hand for her light satin robe.   
  
"You know," he tucked his hands behind his head. "I'm going to miss this."  
  
"You are?" She watched him from the corner of her eyes, her entire body tensed. Is he breaking it off now? "And why would you be missing it?" Maybe it is for the best, before it gets messy and... Damn it, I don't want it to end yet.  
  
"Well, I start work first thing Monday morning." Jason said turning to look at her but only able to see her profile. "We won't have these nice long morning sessions to...practice."  
  
She smiled rather weakly. Oh. "Well, there are always the nights."  
  
"True, which means I'm going to have to make the best of what little time we get together." He sat up in one swift move and brushed her hair aside to kiss the nape of her neck. "Speaking of which..." He nibbled on her ear and moved his hand down her arm, touching slowly, gently.   
  
Trini leaned her head back against his shoulder and left him wonder free. "Hum... So Charles' Angel 4 is on tonight?"   
  
"Sounds like fine." He murmured against the hollow in her collarbone. His wonderfully clever hands were slipping the robe off again. "Whatever you want to see."  
  
"Hum... I like that."  
  
Jason smiled as he pulled her back into the bed. "I thought you might."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Have fun and please by all means do something completely inappropriate for younger children to know about."  



	17. Getting Together

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: This chapter is for StarryNights, for your ever-lasting support. Thanks for always reading and replying to my story. I'm glad that you like what you're reading. And for Morgan, who is every wonderful in her reviews and who never seen to mind that I have really bad grammar and other assortment of stuff wrong with my stories. I'm glad you come back for more of this grammatical torture.  
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Seventeen  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 9, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Movies?" Kimberly's fine brow rose in surprise. "With who?"  
  
"Whom dear, with whom." Trini smiled and grabbed the Charlie perfume from her dresser. "With Jason and Adam. We thought you and Tommy should have a little alone time together."  
  
Kimberly's brows came down in a frown. "What are you talking about? I've been alone with that man every night for the past three nights."  
  
"Never really alone," Trini pointed out as she gave her friend a significant look. "I mean, you've been to public places together without your friends around. But when have the two of you really been alone." She sprayed the perfume lightly under her throat.   
  
Kim nodded her concession. "Okay, you're right."  
  
"Besides, you guys need the time together to get much better reacquainted." Trini turned to face the mirror then went into the bathroom.   
  
"Hey, I don't like the way you said that." She followed Trini into the bathroom where the former yellow ranger was putting on tiny hoop earrings. "What did you mean by that?"  
  
Trini rolled her eyes. "Take it with a grain of salt and think about it. Have fun and please by all means do something completely inappropriate for younger children to know about."  
  
"TRINI!" Kimberly said completely scandalized.  
  
With a quick grin and a wave of her hand, Trini rushed down the stairs. "Bye."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 9, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Kimberly grinned as Tommy frowned at the smothering fireplace where he had just dumped a vase full of water. "Okay, so that wasn't such a good idea."  
  
"Did you ask Jason if it's a wood fireplace or a gas?"  
  
"There's a difference?" Tommy scratched his head and looked at the ruined rug on the floor. "Man, I hope this rug is not something Jason's parents cause I'm going to be in serious trouble if it is."  
  
"I'm sure it can be fixed," Kim got on to her knees and looked at the stained carpet. "See, it's just water and ash stains. I'll come out with a little steam and soap. And knowing how efficient studious Jason's dad was about his household supplies, I'm going to guess that Jason is probably the same way. I'm sure he has one of those expensive rug cleaners around here somewhere. Or if he doesn't, he'll want to get one now."  
  
"Well," he frowned at the darkened spots on the ground. "If he doesn't have one, I'll buy one for him. It's the least I can do after ruining the rug."  
  
"Tommy?" Kimberly had gotten up to sit on the rock ledge of the fireplace.   
  
"Yeah?" touching the stain with his fingertips. She was right; it was water and ash.  
  
"I think this is a gas fireplace."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Looking up at her.  
  
"Cause there's a little gas switch next to the mantel." Kimberly said hiding her laughter behind her hand.   
  
Tommy sighed and shook his head. "You know...never mind." He felt like an idiot.  
  
Kimberly couldn't contain herself. Her laughter spewed out delightfully and she got up to put her arms around him as she giggled. "Oh Tommy, I haven't had this much fun in years. Thank you."  
  
Tommy grinned and hugged her tight to him. It was good to hear her laughter. "I'm glad that I amuse you so much."  
  
"Oh Tommy, it's always so easy with you." She pulled him toward the couch and sat down to watch the empty fireplace. "I mean you never try to impress me. And when you do try to do something wonderful, someone goes awry and that's okay too. You never seem embarrassed about it or even silly. You just look like it was just a natural part of the day and move on. Like that squirrel incident in the park."  
  
"I'm telling you that the little bugger stole the chips from me." Tommy insisted with a laugh.  
  
"You left the bag open on the ground, what did you expect him to do?" Kimberly tucked herself into his arms and settled herself into his arms. "I just think that it's so wonderful of you to take life so wonderfully free and let everything go on as it is. This is nice, the little things in life."  
  
"What is nice?" He asked settling himself a little more comfortably in the couch.   
  
"Just sitting here, alone, comfortable. It's nice."  
  
Tommy smiled and said nothing. It was nice and he was enjoying it somewhat if he could keep his mind from wonderful to the other plans he had for the night for them. But that can wait, they had plenty of time.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 9, 2004  
Edward's Cineplex  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"If you guys start drooling over the actresses, you're on your own." Trini warned as they stood in line at the concession stand. She never goes to the movies without a big tub of buttery popcorn in her lap and a small coke next to her.   
  
"I promise no drool will be seen except on those that we are not acquainted with." Adam made a cross sign over his heart and put up his hand as if being sworn in for something. "Though, I must say that we should be getting the same kind of promise from you. From what I hear from the dozen giggling girls in line behind us, there's supposed to be some hot actor in this movie."  
  
"Yeah, that's what I hear." Trini said with a smile that spoke volumes.  
  
"Well?" Jason crossed his arm and waited.  
  
"Girls do not drool over guys." Trini pointed in her most logical lawyer-like tone. "We mere admire with a great deal of enthusiasm."  
  
Adam and Jason rolled their eyes and stepped up to the stand. Jason shook his head and reached for his wallet. "Three large popcorns, two large Sprites, one medium Coke, one Milkdude, one Sour Patch Kids, and two hotdogs." He turned to Trini. "That takes care of me and Adam, what will you have?" Trini whacked him on the arm with the back of her hand. Jason laughed. "Do you want a hotdog too?"  
  
"No thanks." Trini grinned and looked over the candies. "Could you get me some red vines though?"  
  
"One Red Vine please." Jason added with a quick laugh.  
  
"Will that be all sir?" The girl behind the stand was smiling rather shyly at Jason, her eyes all aglow with admiration and noting that there were three people in this particular group.  
  
"Adam? You want anything else?" Jason asked with a quick turn to his friend. When the young doctor shook his head, he turned back to the girl and gave her a quick smile. "That's all for us."  
  
"Okay, just a minute." She gave him another smile before turning to get their stuff.  
  
Adam leaned forward and whispered. "I think you have an admirer."  
  
Jason rolled his eyes at him but silently conceded that the girl did seem kind of awe stuck. And while the others found it funny, including Trini with her big teasing grin, he found it just slightly annoying. He hardly needed some teenager making cow eyes at him. It also struck him that he was just slightly miffed that Trini was the least bit annoyed over that whole thing. After all, if the situation were reversed, he would certainly be...  
  
"Trini?"  
  
The three turned to see a rather tall good-looking gentleman of around his early thirties. He wore a smile of great pleasure and rushed forward to sweep Trini into a hug that had Jason seeing red.  
  
"Brandon, how are you?" Trini smiled brightly at him.   
  
"Good, good." Brandon's gray eyes took in the two young men next to his old co-worker. "And how are you?"  
  
"I'm doing great. I start the new job next Monday. Last free weekend for some time to come." Trini made a face and turned to the others. "Oh, these are my friends from high school. This is Jason Scott and Adam Park. Brandon Swurtz is an old colleague of mine."  
  
Brandon smiled politely and resisted the urge to run his tongue over his teeth since one of the two men look like he would happily knock them out. "Trini and I worked on some very long and evolved cases together last year. It really is a pity that she decided to move on. It's our lost."  
  
"Oh please, you guys hardly need me around." Trini picked up her popcorn and soda, ignoring the girl that was still making eyes at Jason. Give it up little girl, Jason is not the kind of guy to rob the cradle. "How is the Davidson case coming along?"  
  
"We had a break. The judge ordered a complete turn over of the financial records. If we can just get the broker to talk, we got an solid case against the company for negligence and endangerment." Brandon frowned and took a sip of the soda in his hand. "It would help if we can get Judge Ratherford to move the case up but the clerk's office isn't budging on the court date schedule."  
  
"Have you talked to Elliot at the county courts?" Trini asked motioning for the others to move off to the side so that they were not in anyone's way. "Maybe he can be convinced to move the docket up."  
  
"Not a chance." Brandon smiled. "You were the only one that could charm that sour puss to rearrange things for us."  
  
Trini made a face at him. "In other words, you want me to try to talk Elliot into helping out."  
  
"I would really appreciate it."  
  
With a sigh, Trini tried to block out the faces of the Davidson children and remember that she was no longer part of this game. "I'll give him a call on Monday."  
  
"You are a princess."  
  
"Whatever," Trini grinned. "We better get going before the movie starts without us. It was great seeing you again. Call me if you need anything else."  
  
"You know I will. I better get back to my date as well. Keep in touch, girl." Brandon gave her another quick hug and took off.  
  
"Come one guys," Trini looked at the boys.  
  
"He seems nice." Adam commented as they found seats toward the center of the theater.  
  
"Yes he is." Trini answered as she sat down first, putting Jason between her and Adam. She felt the urge to play footy with Jason in the middle of the movie; she certainly didn't want Adam noticing.   
  
"Knew him long?" Jason asked casually, not wanting her to know just how bad he wanted to knock the guy back to last Wednesday.   
  
"Not that long. He was a junior associate when I joined the firm. He's a good lawyer." Trini reached out and grabbed the Red Vines from Rocky. "Those are mine."  
  
"Trade you." Holding out the Sour Patch Kids.  
  
Trini thought it over. "Okay."  
  
"Are you two done?" Jason asked.  
  
"Not yet, can I have some Milkdudes?" Trini asked holding her palm out to Jason.  
  
He sighed then poured some into her hand. "Share." Holding his own hand out for some of the sweet and sour candy.  
  
"Deal." Opening the bag. She leaned close as she poured the candy into his hand and whispered close to his ears. "His date is a man name Nat; Brandon is gay. And get that green-eye monster look out of your eyes before Adam sees it."  
  
Jason felt himself cringe. Was I really that obvious?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 9, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Hum... Tommy, I'm not too sure that this is such a good idea." Kimberly murmured against his lips.   
  
Somehow, they had ended up on top of each other on the couch, making out like a couple of young teenagers with uncontrolled hormones.  
  
"You want me to stop?" Tommy asked moving his mouth against her throat, feeling her quickened heartbeat with his tongue.   
  
"Huh?" Kimberly felt her brain heat up and the roar of rushing blood and forgot all about anything else other than Tommy's hand just under her shirt touching the flesh cross her flat stomach.   
  
Tommy repeated the question again with a somewhat slurred voice, his senses drugged by the essence of her so close to him. He wanted her, every fiber of his being cried out to be with her. "If you want me to stop, I'll stop."  
  
She could see the impossibility of such a request in his eyes, knowing the kind of pain it would cause him if she really did ask him to. But did she really want him to? She could feel herself lose control under the heat of his gaze. Her body reacted to the very sight of him.   
  
"I don't know." She muttered and ran her hand through his wonderfully soft hair. "I just don't know anything anymore."  
  
"I know that I want you." He said as he sat up slowly, holding her to him in his lap. "I know that I can wait forever for you if you need me to. I know that I..."  
  
"Sh..." her finger to his lips caused him to both quiet down and start at the intimacy he felt at such a small touch. "I don't want you to stop, not yet."  
  
His lips found hers again in a scorching kiss that left Kimberly breathless and wanting more. "We should move to my room. I don't think Jason would be too happy coming home to find him living room smelling of spent passion."  
  
"You're probably right," she mumbled even as she continued to try to swallow his tongue.   
  
He moved up her slowly, holding her close to him as she moved to straddle his hip. She clung to him as he tried to get up, not wanting to close that wonderful closeness. He stood up with her hanging off of him, she was lighter than some of the weights that he and Jason used to bench press, and found that he rather liked that. It was horrible intimate and terribly arousing to have her wanting him like this.  
  
He stumbled on his way toward the archway toward the stairs and ended up crowding her into a wall, still devouring her like a starved man. She laughed as her back came up against a oak frame on the wall. There was no doubt going to be bruise there tomorrow morning.   
  
"Sorry about that." Tommy said as he pushed away from the wall, making another attempt at the doorway.   
  
"I don't' mind." Kimberly murmured against his throat, her arms banded around his neck and her legs squeezing him.   
  
"Jesus Kim, when you do that..." He panted his pleasure to her. "I don't know if we're going to make to the bedroom."  
  
She laughed again as she took his ear lobe between her teeth. "We better or someone might..."  
  
The door knob of the front door caught Kimberly at the small of her back as it swung open, startling both Kim and Tommy enough that they both let go causing them to fall on the ground.  
  
Rocky's head peeked around the corner and looked down at highly embarrassed couple. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was behind there. You okay? What are you two doing down there?"  
  
"I lost my comb." Tommy muttered as he got to his feet. "What are you doing back so early? I thought your flight don't come in until tomorrow morning." He helped Kim back onto her feet as she steadily avoided his eyes.   
  
"Oh, there was a slight terrorist threat and so they decided to postpone the rest of the conference until the new AIDS relief bills gets through congress." Rocky picked up his duffle bag from the front step. "What are you two doing home?"  
  
"We were just talking." Kimberly said once she was sure that the blush on her face had faded. She gave Rocky a quick hug. "Welcome home."  
  
"Thanks, it's nice to be back. I could use about eighty hours of shut eye." Rocky watched Tommy for a moment and realized that something wasn't quite right. "Umm... Did I miss something?"  
  
"Not at all." Kim answered all too quickly and felt herself go red again.   
  
If he hadn't been so tired, Rocky probably would have caught on a whole lot quicker. Unfortunately, he was dead on his feet and yawning from the long flight "Well, you two continue with whatever you were doing and I'm going to go to my room, shower, change and drop dead. I'll be on the third floor so you won't hear a peep from me. Good night." And he walked slowly up the stairs before Tommy gave into the urge to kill him.  
  
There was silence.   
  
Kimberly could see the ridiculousness of the situation. "Well, I say that Rocky managed to kill the mood for us."  
  
"Yup," Tommy sighed and silently urge his body to calm down. This is so not what I had in mind for the evening. "Maybe we should go to your place."  
  
"Maybe this wasn't meant to be." Kim headed back to the living room with a groaning Tommy following behind her. "Tommy..."  
  
"Please don't say it."  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"Don't say that very cliché of a line about how it would be better this way. Cause my body could tell you right now that it isn't." He would have poured himself a stiff drink if the decanter had been in the room. Unfortunately, Jason chooses to keep the hard stuff in the dinning room.   
  
Kim would have laughed if he hadn't look so serious. You poor thing. "Tommy, I know that you want to....and I do too. But let's face it this just isn't too convenient of a time. Besides, the others will be back soon and we don't want this to turn even more awkward than it already is now." I can just see them laughing their ass off right now.  
  
"The others aren't going to be back any time soon. Jason is supposed to help keep the others away so that you and I would get a little alone time." Tommy explained as he rubbed his hand over his face. "The earliest they were suppose to back is around eleven. We didn't count on Rocky coming back so early." Double damn!  
  
"So this was so elaborate plan to get me in bed?"  
  
"Something like that." With all the blunt honesty of a very frustrated man in need.  
  
Kimberly stood up and planted her fist on her hip, feeling her amusement rising while trying to keep a serious face. "Tommy Oliver, you should be ashamed of yourself for...for..."  
  
"Loving you? Wanting to be with you?" he suggested rather mildly. "Needing a little bit of romance in my life?"  
  
She laughed and collapsed onto the sofa again. "Oh Tommy, this is just too funny."  
  
"Well, I'm glad someone is enjoying themselves."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from next chapter: "Oh oh, I missed something big didn't I?"  
  



	18. Rants

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: This chapter is for Shawn (Ozmandayus) for the wonderful comments and encouragements that you always have for me. I can't wait for you stuff to come out. You always inspire me to write more and better to measure up to what you do.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Eighteen  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 10, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"You're kidding!" Jason said with a laugh then quickly smothered it when his friend looked ready to throttle him because of it. "I'm sorry."  
  
Adam grinned but kept his amusement to himself. He rather not have his jaw broken.  
  
Tommy sighed and poured himself some orange juice. "Rocky has never been on time for anything in his life other than competitions and Power Ranger battles. Of all the times for him to be early!"  
  
Jason rubbed his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing again. "Well, I'm sure he didn't mean to ruin your night with Kim. He's just...got bad timing."  
  
"Morning, guys!" Rocky called out as she entered the room with his usual buoyancy. "What's for breakfast?"  
  
"It's going to be you in a few seconds." Adam pointed out as he swallowed his coffee. "What are you doing home early?"  
  
"So I can get a good night's sleep." Rocky looked at a rather disgruntled Tommy. "What did I do?"  
  
"Nothing." Tommy grunted and took a big gulp of the juice in his hand. "Absolutely nothing but ruin what would have been the first decent night's sleep I would have had this week."  
  
"Oh oh, I missed something big didn't I?"  
  
Jason grinned. "You walked in on Tommy and Kim's alone time that we had arranged for them last night."  
  
Adam leaned over and whispered, "Tommy was going to get some last night until you walked in."  
  
"Oh," Rocky grinned rather sheepishly. "Sorry, man. I didn't know."  
  
"Forget it," Tommy sighed. "But it does prove Adam's point. The privacy issue is a huge problem for me and Kim."  
  
"Nah, you're just horny that's all." Rocky said with a laugh.   
  
"Keep it up, Adam." Tommy warned darkly.  
  
"Hey, let's not threaten the doctor." Jason said in mock seriousness. "After all, we might need him later after you get down tearing Rocky to pieces."  
  
Rocky blinked. "What?"  
  
Jason grinned. "Tommy said something about a nice long sparring session later today."  
  
"Do I look stupid to you?" Rocky asked with a frowned at them.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 10, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Trini, stop laughing!"  
  
"I can't help it," as she gasped for breath. "All that planning and anticipation, not to mention that cup of espresso that Jason made me drink cause he was afraid I would fall asleep before it was time to go home, and it all came to naught." She was having a wonderful time imagining the look on Tommy's face. "Man, I wonder if Tommy is going to kill Rocky?"  
  
"He would not." Kimberly said defensive though she had privately wondered the same thing.  
  
"You don't know what guys are like when they become sexually frustrated. They can act pretty crazy when they haven't gotten any."   
  
"Tommy isn't like that."   
  
"I'm sure he isn't." Trini said with a grin. "But what I won't give to be a fly on the wall last night when Rocky walked and knew absolutely nothing of what was going on."  
  
Kim sighed and flopped onto the couch. "The poor boy was so exhausted that I felt bad for even being there. The assignment must have been a killer."  
  
"A conference in DC? You better believe it. One lawyer and one politician in the room is bad enough, can you imagine dozens of them together trying to work something out? Headache city!"  
  
"You certainly have a wonderful opinion of your own profession."  
  
"Takes one to know one." Trini pointed out and held out the coffee pot. "More?"  
  
"Yeah, I need it. Hardly got any sleep last night." Kimberly yawned.  
  
"Wet dreams?" Trini teased.  
  
Kim rolled her eyes. "You're awful cheery this morning."  
  
"And why won't I be?" Trini said with a smile over the rim of her cup. "I've got such great entertainment around here to keep me amused for days on end. I start a wonderful new job and I just found out my stock broker made me another hundred thousand yesterday. Now I can that new laptop I wanted. Why won't I be happy?"  
  
"I hate it when you're so cheerful, it makes me depressed." Kim complained.  
  
"Sour puss."   
  
"You didn't get any last night, you'd be upset too." Kimberly buried her face in her hand. "I was so close!"  
  
Trini laughed again until the pillow hit her in the face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 10, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay, working out your frustrations, sexual or otherwise, like this could very well get someone killed." Adam said as he ducked under another one of Tommy punishing swings. He's been hit with one too many this morning already after stupidly volunteering to help Tommy out a little.  
  
"Tommy, easy on the boy." Jason called out from the side. He was already pulling on his gears knowing that he was going to have to step in soon unless they wanted Tommy to knock something loose in Adam.  
  
Tommy said nothing as he moved into on Adam. His movements were sharp, precise. All his sense focused on the task on hand, diminishing the opponent. He'd rather be taking out his frustrations on Kimberly's sweet fine body, but a good workout will do as a temporary substitute.  
  
"Okay, that's it." Adam backed out of the ring slowly, not wanting to agitate the man anymore. "I have to show up on Monday and I'm not doing so covered in bruises."  
  
"My turn," Jason said as he knocked his gloves together. "Come on Tommy, let's go two rounds."  
  
"Fine by me," Tommy called back as he bounced on his toes. "But as Adam can tell you, I'm not holding back today."  
  
"Don't ever need to with me." Jason said lifting himself up from the mat and circling slowly. "I could use a good work out right about now."  
  
"Why?"   
  
"Missed my morning jog." Jason answered rather cryptically. He'd gotten quite use to be able to go over to Trini's for a rather vigorous morning work out in her bed followed by a gentle cuddling in the afterglow of the their passions. They would talk a little on things, like news, friends, new job, and other assortment of things in their lives. He missed that this morning, more than he thought he could have. Funny how you get use to little things like that so quickly.  
  
"Why not go now?" Tommy asked as he took a swing that went wide as Jason moved away with his usual unpredictable turns.   
  
"Not the same thing." Plus Kimberly's there.  
  
"I should probably start that you know." Tommy said quietly.   
  
"Start what?"  
  
"Jogging in the morning like you do."   
  
"Why?" Jason frowned as he blocked another jab from his friend.  
  
"Keep in shape and helps with the energy level. With both of us starting work on Monday, it would be a good way to keep up our training."  
  
Jason shrugged and brought his left arm in. "I suppose." With Trini starting work as well, there's no chance for any more morning rendezvous. "Why don't you?"  
  
"Cause unlike you, I'm not a morning person." Tommy commented as grunted from the impact to his side. "Okay, that hurt."  
  
"You said no holds bar." Jason pointed out.  
  
"True," Tommy took another swing as the two men circled each other putting their concentration into the spar instead of something else that they can't control.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Hey Rocky," Trini smiled as she leaned in to have him a one armed hug while the other held a big plate of freshly made French toast. "Glad to see that you're still alive."  
  
"Thank you," Rocky sniffed at the plate. "Is that for us?"  
  
"I didn't bring it for my own health." Trini said with a grin as she handed the plate over to him. "Where are the others?"  
  
"Jason and Tommy are downstairs knocking each other's teeth out and Adam is taking a shower after getting the shit beaten out of him early by a very frustrated Tommy." Rocky answered with a grin as he turned toward the kitchen.  
  
"And whose fault would that be?" Adam asked as he came down the stairs. "Morning Trini."  
  
"Morning Adam, Kim's parking the car." She noted the semi-wet tee-shirt. "Went a round with Tommy this morning?"  
  
"Pretty stupid huh?"  
  
"I'd say." Trini laughed. "Should I go downstairs and rescue Jason?"  
  
"Nay," Adam grinned. "He's holding his own with Tommy. I think he's the only one at the moment that can. Well, unless you decide to join in the fun."  
  
"Do I look suicidal?" Trini asked as the slightly ajar door pushed open to let in a rather flushed Kim. "Your boyfriend is being a pain this morning. Go stop him."  
  
Kimberly frowned. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Adam pointed to the slight redden stop under his chin. "This is the beginning of a bruise that your guy put on me this morning."  
  
The former pink ranger winced apologetically. "Where is he?"  
  
"Downstairs with Jason."  
  
Trini frowned for a moment. "How long have they been down there if you're done with your shower?"  
  
"About half an hour now." Adam nodded to himself. "Hum..."  
  
"Oh god," Kimberly groaned as she headed toward the back stairs down to the basement. "Jason's dead."  
  
Trini followed with a shake of her head. "I won't count on it."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Whoa..." Trini's frowned at the two still circling men. "Somebody hose them down! This room positively reeks of testosterones."   
  
Two pairs of eyes turned toward the stairway as one.  
  
Kimberly almost laughed at the surprised expression on the men's faces. "Hi there!"  
  
Jason shook his head to clear it. "What are you two doing here?"  
  
Tommy turned away quickly. Just the sight of Kimberly reminded him of what could have happened the night before until they were so rudely interrupted.   
  
Trini grinned as she moved toward them. "We were going to celebrate my last free weekend with a trip of the carnival they are having by the docks. Kim suggested that we should come over and see if you gentlemen wanted to join us for a day at the amusement park being kids again."  
  
"The carnival?" Jason asked rather startled as she helped him pull the head gear off.   
  
"Yeah," Trini's eyes positively twinkled with amusement. "What do you say? Want to win a teddy bear for me? I seem to recall that you use to be pretty good at that."  
  
"Yeah," Kimberly nodded her head and moved rather cautiously into the room. I hope Tommy has himself under control. "It could be fun."  
  
Tommy took a deep breath to calm himself. It would be so embarrassing if I end up jumping her in front of our friends. "Sure, that sounds great. Just let us catch a shower first."  
  
"Not a problem." Trini hide a grin carefully, not wanting to get her head knocked off her shoulders. "I brought some French toast for you guys if you want them."  
  
"You assume that Rocky hasn't finish them already." Kimberly said with laugh. "We'll wait for you guys in the kitchen. Come on Trini."  
  
Trini waved her fingers playfully and followed Kim upstairs.   
  
Jason watched Tommy take several deep breath to get himself ready to walk up the stairs. "You need a minute?"  
  
"Something like that." Tommy muttered.  
  
He almost grinned at the disgruntled tone. "You wanted to jump her when she came down the stairs didn't you?"  
  
"Like you won't believe."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Okay, I never understood the whole clown thing." Rocky said as he looked around the crowded arena. "I don't care what people say, they're scary!"  
  
Trini laughed and nodded her head in full agreement. "Remember the one that turned my poor cousin Sophia into cardboard?"  
  
"Oh, I had nightmares about that one for weeks." Kimberly agreed as she pulled another long swab of the cottony pink goodness. "But I love carnivals! The people, the fun, the noise.."  
  
"The Food!" Rocky said with great enthusiasm as the others laughed.  
  
"Let's got into the haunted house," Jason suggested as he eyed the big black contraption.   
  
"Oh no you don't," Trini punched him lightly in the stomach. "I am not getting kicked out of another amusement park because of you."  
  
"Hold it, what's this?" Adam asked with a big grin. "What happened?"  
  
Jason grinned and shrugged his broad shoulders. "It wasn't really my fault."  
  
"Tell that to that poor sap that got his front tooth knocked loose." Trini countered.  
  
"What happened?" Tommy asked with amusement.   
  
"We were in Switzerland at the All Hollow's Eve festival," Trini explained as she headed for the venter that was selling wonderful smelling pretzel. "Jason and Zack wanted to see the haunted house that they ahd set up, so we bought tickets and went. Mind you, this was shortly after we had left Angel Grove so some of that huh...." She glanced around quickly. "Ranger instinct was still lingering. Some poor working joe jumps out at them wearing one those strange grayish masks that was suppose to resemble a dead man and Jason automatically delivers a back spinning kick."  
  
The others laughed uproariously as they pictured the poor man being beaten up by the former ranger in a moment of pure natural instinct.   
  
"You guys laugh now," Trini said with a much put upon tone. "You weren't the one that had to spend three hours trying to convince security that Jason and Zack hadn't meant any harm and that they were just martial arts students that forgot themselves."  
  
Jason leaned in kissed Trini on the cheek. "Yes and you were very convincing and wonderful. The guy didn't even file any charges against us. Besides, you have to admit those masks looked awfully like the putty faces."  
  
Trini rolled her eyes and pulled the pretzel apart, offering up some for the rest of the group. "You so owe me for that one."  
  
"Okay, no haunted house then." Tommy said after he finished trying to laugh and talk at the same time. It was just too amusing by half. "How about the fun house?"  
  
"Oh, I like idea." Kimberly said with a quickly smothered grin for Trini. Her friend merely rolled her eyes at her and nodded her head. "We'll go first and then you guys can follow later."  
  
"We?" Tommy frowned. "I thought that we could all..."  
  
Trini elbowed the suddenly dense man. "She meant you and her."  
  
"Oh," Tommy nodded vigorously now. "What a great idea!"  
  
Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Trini directed the others away to allow Tommy some time along with Kim.  
  
Tommy watched the others go for a moment. "Sorry, I'm usually not so slow at such things."  
  
"It's probably because the blood in your head had been diverted to other places." Kimberly commented as she handed the man the tickets.  
  
"Yeah, that could be... Hey!"  
  
"Men, you're so predictable."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Jason, Trini, mind if me and Adam take off for a little bit? We wanted to go get that giant bear from the basketball place." Rocky said with a grin like that of a big kid.  
  
"Haven't you wasted enough money on that one already?" Jason asked with laugh.   
  
"No pain, no gain." Adam said with a smile as he nodded in that direction. "We'll meet you back here in half an hour, it'll probably be that long before Tommy and Kim make it out of that funhouse."  
  
"You're assuming that they want to come out." Trini said with a sly smirk.  
  
"Sure, go ahead." Jason watched them go then turned to the much-amused Trini. "Well, looks like it's just you and me then."  
  
"Looks like," she glanced at the direction their friends took off in before leaned in to kiss him full on the lips. "I missed you this morning."  
  
He hugged her tight. "Me too. Why do you think Tommy and I were going at it? Needed someway to work off all that extra energy I usually reserve for you."  
  
"Hum... how was that?"  
  
"Well, it worked though it was definitely no where near as fun." He grinned and tucked her into his arms as they stroll down a long lane with various booths of fun. They made their way slowly toward that peir to watch the ocean as the sun set slowly behind them. "This was a great idea."  
  
"I thought so." She snuggled closer to him and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I love watching the sea. Remember when we use to go scuba diving together?"  
  
"Yeah," he felt slightly nostalgic. "You would always want to set on the sand afterwards and watch the sea and the sunset. It was nice."  
  
"Very." She sighed and watched the crashing waves. "I miss California sometimes."  
  
"Do you go back often?"  
  
"Not really." She sighed and turned to him. "Only when family needs me. New York is my home now."  
  
"Are you happy here?" Jason asked, brushing away a lock of her long raven hair.   
  
"Yeah, I think I'm happy now. Happier than I've been in a long time." She smiled and leaned up on tiptoes to give him a delicate fluttering kiss on the lips. "I got a new start. The new job, my friends, everything is perfect right now."  
  
"I'm glad." He nodded and watched her dark eyes. She's so beautiful. And this peace of mind right now, it's wonderful. "I'm happy too, a lot more than I realized."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Kat?"  
  
Okay, that was too short. How about another?   
  
Second teaser line from the next chapter: "Take a moment to absorb all this."  
  
Was that better? No? How about another one?  
  
Third teaser line from the next chapter. "Rocky's problem must be catching."  
  
Last one for a little while. Taking a break and a trip. Next one will be out hopefully next Monday. Hope you all enjoyed this one!  



	19. Ironies of Life

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Okay, this one is for White Tiger, Sibrina, and Pricilla. You guys are wonderful for reading and replying so often. I can't tell you how it makes me feel to know that you guys are enjoying this. I'm every bit as eager for your response as some people are for good stories. Thank you for your support and know that without you guys, I won't be doing this.   
  
Note: Okay, this is really going to be the last until Monday since I leave tomorrow morning for a four-day trip to the Keys. I didn't think I would get this out so quickly but looks like I just made it. No Internet access where I'm going so I'm without you for a while. I hope you guys like this one cause it's going to move us along when I get back. I have some thoughts of how to end this particular story but that can change at almost any given time. Anyways... my gift before I leave. Hope you guys enjoy it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Nineteen  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 12, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Trini! Have you seen my briefcase?"   
  
"On the living room coffee table," Trini answered as she burned her tongue on the coffee.   
  
"I'll be back at five, you?"  
  
"The plan is five but with lawyers, you never know." Trini made a face. "I think they're going to throw me into the water on my first day."  
  
"Hitting the ground running huh?"  
  
"You bet," Trini grabbed the thermal cup and capped it quickly. "You know, you've got plenty of time. Why do you do this every Monday morning?"  
  
"Cause I'm crazy." Kimberly said making a face as she took the cup from her and grabbed her keys from the end table. "I'll see you when I get home."  
  
"Sure," Trini waited until Kimberly got to the door. "By the way, what happened in the funhouse?"  
  
Kimberly had the grace to blush. "Nothing I want to talk about."  
  
Trini giggled. "You know, you really need to talk to Tommy about that whole color thing."  
  
"Color thing?" The confusion was in Kim's eyes now.  
  
"Yeah, cause that lips stick color may look good on you, but it's definitely too bright on him."   
  
Kimberly groaned and shook her head. "You're a pain in the ass you know that?"  
  
"Yeah, but that's why you love me." She tilted her head and smiled big enough to break a few records. "Have a good time at work."  
  
"Bitch," Kimberly said with a good-natured grin before waving her hand. "You too and good luck on your first day."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 12, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I forgot that I hate ties." Jason said as he looped the red speckled tie over and around. "And I hate suits too."  
  
"It's the shoulders," Rocky said as he picked up the newspaper on the table and tossed it at Jason. "There isn't a decent suit made for guys with broad shoulders like us."  
  
"Any coffee left?" Tommy asked as he came into the kitchen fully dressed in a three-piece wonder. "Where's Adam?"  
  
"Went in already. On the road at five in the morning, there should be a law against that." Rocky said as he pulled the sports jacket over his neat white dress shirt. "Said that he'll be back around four if he's luck. I'll be back at five."  
  
Jason glanced at his watch. "I better get going, don't want to be late on my first day. I'll be back around four thirty. How about you Tommy?"  
  
"Five. Could you get dinner then since I'm pretty sure Adam will be dead on his feet by then." Tommy said as he glanced at the newspaper and pulled the financials out. "I think I'm going to have to invest on the Wall Street Journal."  
  
"I've already got it." Jason said as he pulled out the newspaper he had tucked into his briefcase. "You want it?"  
  
"That's okay, they'll have plenty at the office." Tommy said as he poured coffee into a traveling mug. "See you guys later."  
  
"Good luck!" Jason called out as he headed out the back door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 12, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"How are liking it here?" Mr. Daniel Hughman watched Trini at her desk for the past five minutes without any acknowledgement from the pretty young attorney who had been completely absorb in the case file in front of her.  
  
Trini's eyes came up slowly, pulling her mind from all the problems a suit against a land developer of Sallivan and Kirk's caliber was going to be. The best she could hope for was a settlement out of court with something to bring to the clients when it was all over. What were these idiots thinking taking a case as obviously weak as this?  
  
"Not bad," Trini removed the half rimed reading glasses from her nose and set it down on the table. She didn't need the glasses to see, but Kimberly thought they made her look more professional. "I could use a case that doesn't involve me having to deal with land developers though. I don't exactly have a good history with them."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Daniel grinned as he came further into the room and sat down at one of the two chairs before the bare desk that Trini was working on. "I read your case against Phillips Developments Inc. That was one nasty case."  
  
"It could have been worse if the judge hadn't been so sympathetic." She smiled, liking the junior partner in the firm. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"I just thought I would welcome you on your first day." He smiled easily at her. "You should be pretty use to dealing with land laws and the legalities that come with land developments and building contracts right?"  
  
"Sure," Trini leaned back in her chair waiting for the lawyer to get to the point. "I've had all too much exposure to them."  
  
"Well, then you're not going to like this one." He put the file in front of her. "You know that we're a national corporation and handles a variety of clients. Most of the big companies in this building uses us for their contracts and petitions and other oddities."  
  
"Yeah, so?" she flipped through the file quickly, noting that the main client was based out of Denver Colorado.   
  
"The tenth floor houses a big architectural firm that's been contracted to do build a multi-complex that has been experiencing some legal delays. The old architectural company is being dropped due to the lack of attention the project was getting. The new contractors are going to need someone to act as the legal representative on this."  
  
"And let me guess, we're the team that is handling it." She smiled as she flipped through more contracting pages that was rather fine and detailed.   
  
"Correction, you're the lawyer for the job."  
  
"Excuse me?" Her eyes went wide as she stared at him.  
  
"The Senior Partners are putting you in charge of this case file. They've seen your records and know what you're capable of. We see no reason to hold you back on this. Oh, you can give that other case to. I'll give it to one of the junior associates, no need to waste you on that one." Daniel smiled and reached across the table to pat her gently on the hand. "Take a moment to absorb all this."  
  
"Wait!" Trini was trying to shake something loose in her ears. "Are you saying that I'm to be in charge?"  
  
"That's what I said. You'll have the support team behind you on anything you need. But you're on the job for this one." He grinned at her and knew that he had really thrown her for a loop. Most people don't get thrown a huge case like this on their first day on the job. "I know that you're going to do great. Everything you need to know is in the file. You need anything else, call Janet. She's your new secretary."  
  
"Who?"   
  
"Janet Milliet. Nice lady that is now getting ready to set outside your office door. Okay?"  
  
She really could do nothing but nod her head and watch him walk out. "Oh boy." This is definitely going to be an interesting experience.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 12, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
"Mr. Oliver, it's lunch time."   
  
"Thank you, David." Tommy smiled at his young assistant and wondered for a moment if he was ever that young and that eager to please. The poor kid was going to have a lot to learn if he was going to be a good broker.  
  
The phone rang just as he was about to get up to go to lunch. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey Tommy." The sweetly accented voice made him jump.   
  
"Kat?"   
  
"It's good to hear your voice too, luv." The sarcasm heavy in her voice.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry." He sat down again heavily. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm going great. I wanted to call and say congratulations."   
  
"Thank you, how did you find out?" He was glad to hear from her. Their break up had been rather rough on both of them and the distance had not help to heal the breech in their friendship.   
  
"Oh from a variety of people, mostly Billy and Aisha." She smiled imagining his reaction to her sudden reappearance in his life. It must be somewhat startling given what Billy had said about his renewed relationship with her predecessor on the Power Rangers. "I wanted to see how you were doing."  
  
"I'm going just fine. The job is the same as always and you know that I've always enjoyed it."  
  
"How you can pour over all those statistics and reports is beyond my comprehension."   
  
"It's a life style."  
  
There was a slightly awkward silence. Kat decided to bit the nail. "How is Kim?"  
  
"What?"   
  
"How is Kimberly? She is there, isn't she?"  
  
"Yes but..."  
  
"Tommy?" There was a softness in her voice that stopped him. "I want you to be happy."  
  
There was moment of relief as he listened to the words that he didn't know that needed to hear from her. "Thank you Kat. It's what I wanted for you as well."  
  
"Do you love her?" She asked a painful bluntness that she never had before. Now was not the time for sudtly anyways.   
  
"I..." He stopped himself. "Yes, I do."  
  
"Then don't wait." She smiled into the phone, knowing the emotions in him must be driving him crazy. "You didn't go after what you wanted the first time around, and it cost you so much time and heartache. Don't do it again. Please."  
  
Tommy smiled, almost seeing Kat's blue eyes pleading with him to be good. "You were always such a good friend to me. I don't think I ever deserved you."  
  
"No, Tommy. You were good for me in many ways as well. We were good for a while there but it wasn't enough. You were always better with her."  
  
"Did I hurt you bad?" He wanted to know.  
  
"No, not as much as I thought would be but..." She shook her head. "We were good, that's what counted."  
  
"Yes we were." He sighed. "Thanks, Kat."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 12, 2004  
Miller and Hoffman Architectural Company  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 1000  
New York City, New York  
  
Jason frowned at the soil analysis on the new job. It was going to be tricky with all that soft ground. Who knew that his first day would be so interesting!  
  
"You like it?" Franklin Miller grinned as he watch the young architect look over the reports. "It would be right up your alley."  
  
"It looks like a big job." Jason murmured as he continued to flip through some of the speculations done during the preliminary stages. "Are you sure you want me doing this, Mr. Miller? Maybe one of the more experienced architects would..."  
  
"No, no." The graying man shook his head; his eccentric appearance belied the wonderfully artistic man beneath. "You are the man. I know it. I saw the work you did for the Illinois Fashion Remodeling job. Why do you think I had headhunters after you for so many months? You're exactly want I want for this company."  
  
Jason smiled for the man's benefit. "Other than the usual legal problems, anything else I need to know?"  
  
"You'll have to fly out to see the site for the design, but I see nothing else that needs to be done with this one. You good to go on this?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Jason shook his head as he glance over the preliminary contract. "Who's our legal vendor?"  
  
"Nice company just a couple of floors down from us. They're going to send one of those lawyers with you to the site so you guys can work out the deal with the developers. Should have everything squared away at eh location in a week. Can you leave tomorrow?"  
  
"Tomorrow?" Jason's eyes went wide. His head felt rather screwed on too tight. Everything was moving so fast.  
  
"Problem?"  
  
"No, not really." He shook his head. "This place is real fast pace isn't it?"  
  
"Oh no, not really." The man smiled beautifully at him. Franklin could tell by the man's eyes that he was going to like this young man a lot. There was a sense of humor behind those serious eyes. Yes sir, he was definitely going to be a great addition to the company. "You just jumped in here at a rather frantic time for this particular project."  
  
"I see, I just have bad timing."  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Hum..." Jason frowned at the folder in front of him. "Rocky's problem must be catching."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 12, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"I can't believe you got handed the Colorado case." Mary Albright frowned at her tuna fish sandwich with distaste and watched Trini tuck into the double cheeseburger without the least bit of guilt. How does the she stay so thin?  
  
"Did you want the case?" Trini ask with some concern. She did not feel like stepping on anyone's toes on her first day here. "Cause if you do I could gladly..."  
  
"No darling," Mary shook her head. "The senior partners hand out the case any way they want. No use to talking to anyone about switching cases. Besides, they generally hand out assignments the way a coach assigns players, strongest position wise."  
  
"Oh," she looked at the others who were all nodding their heads at her.   
  
"They must really like you." Troy Devon smiled at her with genuine admiration. "They had a really long conference before bring you in. I heard they raised the bar on the salaries to get you here."  
  
"Really?" Trini frowned. "I'm making pretty much what I do at my old firm."  
  
"What do you make?" Corrina Bracks frowned. She didn't like that fact that the new girl was offered a full associate position while she had to apply and interview for nearly a month only to be offered a junior associate position.   
  
"I made around eighty-six thousand." Trini shrugged as if it was just a drop in the bucket for her, which in her case really was but a small part of her annual income. The eighty percent of her income comes from investments she wisely made on the exchange. "No difference once you take away the tax and retirement investments."  
  
"Eighty-six thousand?" Troy couldn't even wrap his head around that much money a year. "Oh man, if I had that much money..."  
  
"You'd waste it on beer." Mary laughed seeing the look in Corrina's eyes and wanting to deflect what was liking to be a very nasty comment.   
  
"Trini?"   
  
The others turn to see Mr. Frederick Boyle standing the doorway to the kitchen area of the office. "Mr. Boyle," Trini stood up slowly.   
  
"Sorry to interrupt your lunch but I wanted to tell you before I forget." Boyle walked in and took not of the dark purple suit that the young women wore. "The Colorado case is being moved up faster than expected. Can you be ready to move on this by tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure," Trini wiped her hands on the napkin at hand. "I reviewed most of the important stuff this morning. We just need to get the contracting parties to move on the details and we're set."  
  
"Good," Boyle nodded his head in approval at the efficiency of the attorney. "I knew we made the right move bring you in here. Can you be ready to leave for the site by tomorrow morning?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Trini shook her head not quite understanding the question. "Site?"  
  
"Yes, you're going on site with the architect. The contracting parties will sit down and work out the details. The developers are looking to have this done in maybe a week's time. You'll be there to do the contracting for the architectural company." Boyle saw that he had startled the young pretty thing. "I'm sorry, you didn't know did you?"  
  
"No, I didn't." Trini shook her head again, this time in resignation. "When tomorrow?"  
  
"We're drawing up the tickets now. You and the architect will go over the case on the plane ride there. A meeting has been set up for you with the developer on Wednesday morning. You'll have until Friday to work out the case. Architect is there for the site visit and to work the cost and details with them. See what you can do on that end."   
  
Trini had been making notes on the little spiral notepad she kept with her at all times. "Okay, what's the architect's name?"  
  
"I don't know." Boyle grinned rather foolishly. "We're putting this together rather last minute. You will report in tomorrow morning and meet with them before heading to the airport."  
  
She nodded her head and sighed. "Five days tops?"  
  
"Yeah, you should be back by Friday night or Saturday morning." The older man smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure everything will be fine."  
  
Trini forced a smile and nodded her head. "This is going to be interesting."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 12, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Oh god, someone shoot me now!" Adam said as he collapse on the couch, the last one to return for the evening. "Why did I ever become a doctor?"  
  
"Cause you can't shake the tendency to help." Jason suggested with a grin. "You okay?"  
  
"I could use one of those spine realignment things they use at the chiropractors." Adam groaned and closed his eyes. "Hey, do I smell food?"  
  
"Yeah," Rocky said as he joined his friend on the couch. "Jason brought home Kentucky Fried Chicken. But Tommy won't let me have any until after he's called Kim and Trini over for dinner."  
  
Adam's brows went up in anticipation. "Hey, if we're lucky, Trini might make us some dessert."  
  
"I heard that," Trini called from the front door. "And just got that, you're not getting any of this Forest Cake I made last night."  
  
"You know that I was just kidding," Adam called back to her since he still hasn't found enough energy to stand up. "You're always welcome in this house with or without any sweets."  
  
"You know," Jason said thoughtfully as he gazed at Trini and her mountain of a cake. "Maybe we should get you girls a set of keys."  
  
"Keys?" Trini felt her heart jump into her throat and panic threatened to choke her.  
  
"What for?" Kimberly asked as she pushed her way into the foyer since Trini seemed to have frozen in the doorway. "Trini, what's the matter with you?"  
  
"Sorry," she murmured as she avoided Jason's eyes.  
  
Unfortunately, she hadn't turned fast enough. Jason saw the look of terror there and frowned. "It just seems practical. If we were ever forget our keys, there would be one near by that we can get to."  
  
"What about a hidden one in your backyard," Kimberly suggested.   
  
"Yeah, that would work too." Jason nodded his head but kept his gaze on Trini. "But I thought maybe you girls would like a set of your own so you can come and go as you please."  
  
"You sure that's a good idea?" Kim asked thoughtfully. "I mean this is your home. You would hardly want people walking in and out undeterred."  
  
"You guys aren't just people," Adam pointed out with a grin. "You're friends."  
  
"I totally agree," Rocky said with a big smile that lit up his face. "You should have a set."  
  
"But what if we don't' want one?" Kimberly asked rather defiantly. "I mean, who needs that kind of responsibilities on top of everything else. And what if we don't' want to give you guys a set to our place?"  
  
"Then that's your prerogative." Adam shrugged. "Look, keeping a set at your place just seems right. Whether or not you use it is your right too. But it is safer for us in the long run if we were ever to forget and lock ourselves out."  
  
"All four of you?" Kimberly asked with amusement.  
  
"Well..." Rocky looked rather thoughtful. "It could happen."  
  
"With your memory? It could definitely happen." Adam nodded and leaned back on the couch.  
  
"I'm going to put this cake away." Trini said as she made her way into the back.  
  
"You okay?" Jason asked as he followed her.   
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Trini smiled for his benefit as she felt her heart race. Calm down, it's just a practicality that they want. It doesn't mean anything at all. "How was your first day?"  
  
"It was great. Got a big assignment." He watched her with concern eyes. She's terrified that I'm pushing things along in what's between us. "About the key thing..."  
  
"Adam is right," she shrugged her shoulder and shoved some vegetables aside to make room for the cake. "It's only practical that you have a spare set somewhere safe."  
  
"Yeah," he nodded realizing that she wanted to play it off as much as possible. "It's only practical."  
  
"Good," she sighed and leaned against the kitchen island.   
  
"You all right?" His eyes were filled with concern.  
  
"Yeah, I'm just a little tired." She blinked and took a deep breath. The worn out feeling was making her slightly dizzy and weak. "It's been a long day."  
  
"I can imagine." Jason leaned close and rubbed her back feeling the tension there. We'll play this your way for now. "You want some water or something? You look kind of pale."  
  
"No, I'm fine." She turned and smiled at him. "Really."  
  
"Well, maybe a little food would help." He smiled in return liking the way she looked in his kitchen.  
  
"Am I interrupting?" Adam asked from the doorway tongue firmly in cheek. "Cause I'll come back if you two aren't done in here."  
  
"Shut up and get the others will you, Adam." Jason said as he tossed a dishtowel at him. "Tell them we're eating in the kitchen, it's cozier than the dinning room."  
  
"Sure," Adam frowned as he continued to watch Trini. "Hey, you all right?"  
  
"She's hungry!" Jason answered with a grin.  
  
"Then let's eat!"  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Oh, Tommy," Trini passed the dessert plates along. "Would you do me a big favor?"  
  
"Sure, what's up?" Tommy said as he search the drawers for small forks. "Hey Jason, I thought you said your mother brought you every kind of fork utensil there is."  
  
"She did," Jason said as he watched the big cake with anticipation.  
  
"Where are the dessert forks then?" Tommy asked.  
  
"In the fork drawer." Jason pointed to the left most drawers at the counter. "I don't know which is a dessert fork and which is a salad fork but all the forks you want are in there."  
  
"Okay," Tommy pulled open the drawer and grinned as he located what he wanted. "Trini, you were saying?"  
  
"Oh, yes." Trini carefully cut perfect little triangles of cakes. "Would you look in on Kimberly once in a while this week while I'm gone?"  
  
"Gone?" Kim's eyes went wide. "Where are you going?"  
  
"A little business trip." Trini said with a frown. "I got an out of state case dropped into my lap this morning. First day at work and they decide to give me a hard one."  
  
"You too?" Jason laughed. "My boss thought I would be the perfect person for a new contract. I can already see that this is going to be a normal occurrence."   
  
"But, but.." Kimberly's eyes went from one to the other. "Trini, what's the case?"  
  
"Land developer and contracted architectural company. I'm supposed to play lawyer to the company and draw up the contracts. Looks like I'll be gone for the rest of the week." Trini made a face as she dug into the wonderfully sinful chocolate cake. "Oh, this is going to put so much fat on me."  
  
"Fat?" Rocky muttered around a forkful of cake. "You could eat the whole cake yourself and not gain a pound. Look at you! Jason's arm is bigger than your waist."  
  
Trini laughed.  
  
"So where's the trip to?" Tommy asked already making plans of going over to Kim's more often than not.  
  
"Colorado."   
  
"What?" Jason's eyes went wide. "What did you just say?"  
  
"Denver, Colorado." Trini blinked at the look on Jason's face. "What's wrong?"  
  
Jason shook his head, not quite believing it. "What company do you work for again, Trini?"  
  
Trini frowned. "Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office. Why are you looking at me like I've grown a second head?"  
  
"Oh man, I know I'm going to kill myself if I don't ask but..." he shook his head. "Where is your office located?" Remembering that Mr. Miller said that their legal vender was in the same building as them.   
  
"On the eighth floor of 300 Guttenberg." Trini shook her head. "Why all the..."  
  
Jason laughed and thought that the universe had a rather strange sense of humor.   
  
Adam frowned thoughtfully. "Hey, 300 Guttenberg! Isn't that were your company is at Jason?"  
  
Jason was having a hard time catching his breath. "Yeah, that's exactly where I'm at right now. And guess what? I'm going out of town as well."  
  
Everything clicked at once and no one knew what to say other than to laugh like lunatics. Ironies like these are only too rare in this universe.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
And who did not see that one coming from a mile away?!?  
  
Teaser line from next chapter: "Did you guys talk about the baby?"   
  
And how many of you hate these teaser lines? I'm not sure how popular they are with the readers. I thought I would try them, kind of like those TV announcements, "next time on ...." If you guys want me to stop, just say the word and they are gone.   
  
In the mean time, stay tuned for the next part.  



	20. Calm moments in life

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To Morgan, Hanspam and Dev Dev, you guys are the best readers a writer can hope for. Thanks for always having encouraging words for me.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"JASON?"  
  
Jason winced. "WHAT DO YOU WANT, ADAM?"  
  
"COULD I BORROW CLEAN SOCKS FROM YOU?"  
  
"GO AHEAD. FIRST DRAWER ON THE RIGHT."  
  
"THANKS."  
  
Tommy stepped into the room with a frown. "What's with all the shouting?"  
  
Jason grinned. "Adam wants to borrow clean socks from me."  
  
"Oh." Perfectly logical in Tommy's mind. "He is here?"  
  
"He's got the night shift today." Rocky explained as he headed toward the sitting coffee pot. "This the good stuff Trini got us?"  
  
"Yes," Tommy sipped his mug carefully. "You know, we might want to think of giving Trini grocery money. She's always buying things for us."  
  
Jason smiled in amusement. "You try giving Trini money and she's kill you. The girl's got a lot more pride then that. I suggest we merely invite her to go grocery shopping with us."  
  
"Sounds like an idea." Rocky took a sip and sighed with contentment. "God she's got great taste in food. Just the kind of girl you want to bring home to mamma."  
  
"Hey, Jason?" Adam came in dressed in workout cloths.   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"I found this in your room." The others turn to see a dangling triangle held aloft by Adam's fingers. "It's a woman's earring."  
  
"Really?" Rocky grinned like a man anticipating great fun. "What have you been up to and not sharing with your good pals?"  
  
Jason frowned at him.  
  
Tommy took it from Adam. "You know, I think Trini had a pair like this back when we were in high school. I seem to recall seeing her wear something like this once."  
  
"Really?" Adam's brows went up in inquiry.  
  
Jason shrugged, hoping to down play it as much as possible. "Then it's probably Trini's. She must have dropped it when I gave her a tour of the house."  
  
"Really?" Adam asked, his eyes twinkling with delight. "In your bedroom?"  
  
"I don't see why not." He picked up the newspaper, hoping to use it as a shield. "She was around to help me move in. We were hauling boxes all over the house that day. It might have dropped on one of the trips in and out of the rooms."  
  
Rocky nodded his head. "Hum... that would explain why she knows this place so well."  
  
"Since my roommates all decided to leave the moving in process to me, I had to get some help somewhere didn't I?" Jason said with a smile for his friend.  
  
"Okay, we get the point." Tommy rolled his eyes. "Hand me the sports section."  
  
Adam nodded his head thoughtfully as he pinned the earring to the corkboard on the wall. It was logical that Trini might have dropped it during the move. After all, she was here often enough. And Jason's bedroom had been one of the first to get finish. But there was something missing in that puzzle. Hum...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"And you will stay at the Hilton Hotel. Any questions?"  
  
"Have we got the lawyers on their end ready?" Trini picked up several more files and put them neatly into her brief case. "I don't want to show up than wait for them to get themselves together and waste everyone's time."  
  
"They've got it." Boyle smiled as he watched the strangely hypnotic lava lamp of red with yellow blobs Ms. Kwan had brought in with her in the office that morning. "This is pretty."  
  
"Thank you." Trini replied automatically. "Now, we have the Colorado codes and we're working within those boundaries, right? The developers know that."  
  
"Absolutely," Boyle touched the smooth surface of the fascinating oddity.  
  
"Mr. Boyle?" Trini looked up to watch her boss gazing rather dazed at her lava lamp. "Are you all right?"  
  
"You kids these days," he grinned rather foolishly. "This was the kind of stuff they use to ban when I was a teen. They were much associated with drug users."  
  
Trini laughed and finished putting the files away. "I'll have the preliminary stuff faxed in by tomorrow afternoon. From everything I've read, we should be in and out fast."  
  
"Good," he turned and looked at the ever-professional woman behind her still rather bare desk. "Then all we need now is the architect and you're ready to go. You have your car parked downstairs?"  
  
"In the underground garage just as you say sir."   
  
"Good."  
  
"Knock, knock." Daniel Hughman poked his head in and smiled. "The people upstairs are here."  
  
"Come, we should go meet with them." Mr. Boyle said pulling Trini's small luggage out the door.   
  
Grabbing her briefcase and laptop, Trini hid a smile as she followed him out. This is going to be one hell of a business trip.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
Tommy tapped his pen against his bottom lip thoughtfully before picking up the phone.   
  
"Hello, Clark Kent speaking."  
  
"You are a crack up, Rocky." Tommy grinned. "I need a favor."  
  
"What's up, fearless leader?" Rocky turned his eyes away from the blinking screen. The news was happening too fast today for his liking. Too much to do and not nearly enough time to do it.  
  
"I won't be home today at the usual time." Tommy glanced at the clock. It wasn't even nine yet.   
  
"Why? Or do I even need to ask." Rocky could almost see the look Tommy had give Kimberly the night before when they had learned the Trini was not going to be around the condo for a few days, leaving Kim all by her lonesome.   
  
"Shut up. Don't think I've forgiven you for what happened on Friday night."  
  
Rocky sighed. "How long are you going to crucify me for that one?"  
  
"Until I get some."  
  
"The sooner the better. You're so cranky when you're not getting any. Okay, what do you want me to do?"  
  
"I know I said that I'd get dinner tonight but..."  
  
"I'll get it and you can go get Kim."  
  
"Thanks, man."  
  
"Are we square yet?"  
  
"Depends on what happens tonight." Tommy grinned.  
  
"Good luck then."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
William Cranston's Resident  
357 Wilshire Blvd. #3D  
St. Louis, Missouri  
  
Billy pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. Then he did what he hadn't done in three days, he shut the computer off. It was done! All he needed to do was talk to the confirming parties and he would be all set to go.   
  
What a relief it will be to be finally done with this part of his life. It's been pretty lonely as of late. He was beginning to resemble something from that movie Trini had dragged him out see once with Sandra Bullock in it, The Net or something like that. Someone could so easily impersonate him and no one would even know the difference he was so isolated lately.  
  
"Briiiiinnnggg."  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Billy? You sound terrible."  
  
"Nice to hear from you too, Kat." Billy sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Been up some time now working."  
  
"I guessed." Kat smiled. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, nothing a little food and shower can't cure."  
  
"I see." She could easily imagine him sitting there with all the paper scattered, dishes piled up and a three day stubble growing on his chin. "I talked to Tommy yesterday."  
  
That caught his attention fast enough. "What happened?"  
  
"He is and always will be a perfect gentleman."  
  
"In other words, nothing really got said."  
  
"I wished him happy." Kat's voice was soft, sad.  
  
"Do you really?" Billy asked quietly. "I mean with everything that happened between the two of you. I don't think anyone would be surprised if you and Tommy did not speak again."  
  
"He and I were friends before we were lovers." She smiled remembering some of the good times she had with the one man she knew, perhaps even from the beginning, would never truly be hers. "I do wish him happy."  
  
"Did you guys talk about the baby?" Billy asked.  
  
"That was a long time ago."  
  
Billy sighed. "You don't ever talk about it, do you?"   
  
Kat smiled sadly. "No, we don't."  
  
"Neither one of you could have done anything about it. It just wasn't meant to be." Billy said quietly, knowing that Kat's miscarriage had been a very difficult part of her life. "It happens."  
  
"I know." She smiled and cradled the phone against her shoulder. "But a part of me always wondered if Tommy and I would still be together if I hadn't lost the child."  
  
"Kat, you can't think like that."  
  
"Or if he ever blamed me for losing it in the first place."  
  
"Kat, stop it! You know that Tommy never blamed you. It just happened." Billy cursed himself for bring it up. "You cannot..."  
  
"I know, Billy. Logically I know." She smiled rather wistfully. "And I always know that Tommy and I won't have made it, even with a child. We were growing apart toward the end. The miscarriage just cemented the break. We both needed to move on with our lives and being together held us back."  
  
Billy shook his head. "How are you?'  
  
"Good." She shook her head. "I think talking to Tommy helped me make a decision that I've been playing with for a while now."  
  
"What decision?"  
  
"The anthropology department at the New York College offered me a position to teach there."  
  
"Oh." Ironies of ironies, New York seems to be the place to be. "Well?"  
  
"I've decided to turn them down." She smiled, at peace with herself now. "It won't be right."  
  
"Kat," he sighed into the phone and wondered at the threads in the universe that seems to forever link the Power Rangers together in some way or other. "Don't let Tommy or any of us make you turn from..."  
  
"No, Billy. I've decided. It's the right thing to do." Kat nodded to herself and held the phone tighter. "Besides, I was just getting use to being back with my countrymen. Plus you Yanks have really lousy taste in food."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
Newark International Airport  
Newark, New Jersey  
  
"I hate flying." Trini made that statement as they handed their business class tickets to the clerk.   
  
"Take a deep breath and relax." Jason suggested as he picked up their stuff and moved down the rickety ramp. "It's only four hours."  
  
"That's four hours too long." She made a face as they move through and located their seats. "I really don't like flying."  
  
Jason leaned closed and whispered, "you know for a former power rangers, you have some strange hang ups. How can you complain about flying in an aircraft when we use to have our molecules dissolved every time we used the teleporter? Don't tell me you preferred that to this?"  
  
"Of course I do," she whispered back. "At least then, I won't have time to scream before we hit the ground."  
  
"You're pain," he said with a grin as he kissed her nose. "Now stop complaining and show me what their lawyers have in mind."  
  
"It's actually pretty basic stuff," Trini started as she pulled her briefcase up onto her lap and opened it with a loud click.  
  
"Miss," the stewardess came over and leaned forward to talk to her. "Could you wait until we are in the air to open your briefcase? We tend to get a lot of flying papers when people don't wait for the air pressure to stabilize during and after take off."  
  
"Oh," Trini looked rather startled. "Sure, this can wait."  
  
"Thank you, Miss." She turned to give Jason a saucy smile. "Could I get either of you anything?"  
  
"Vodka on the rocks would be nice." Jason said offering her a smile for her troubles.  
  
"And Miss?" she turned toward Trini but kept her eyes on the dimples in Jason's cheeks.  
  
"Club soda is fine." Trini said with an amused grin.  
  
"Be right back with your drinks." The stewardess straightened and smiled cheerful. The man with the dimples just brightened her whole day up. So what if he is taking his petite little wife on a business trip, doesn't mean he can't be eye-candy for the rest of the female population.  
  
"Do they do that a lot?" Trini asked as she clicked the latch on her briefcase shut.   
  
"What?" Jason looked rather confused.  
  
"Women. Do they just look at you and instantly want to flirt with you?" Her eyes were twinkling with fun. "Cause you know, that's the kind of gift that most guys would love to have."  
  
Jason frowned at her and shook his head. "It's not a gift, it's an annoyance. And why aren't you more upset by this?"  
  
"Cause I don't feel threatened." She said with a brilliant smile that caused a bypassing man to trip and be forced to catch himself on the back of Jason's chair. "Sir, are you all right?"  
  
"Fine, fine." He blushed a rather horrible shade of red and smiled shyly at her before moving on.  
  
Jason was polite enough not to smile until the man was away. "I can see why you aren't threatened. Does that happen a lot?"  
  
She looked at him with a look of complete innocence. "What?"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
Vogue Magazine Inc.  
6500 Wellington Avenue, Suite 600  
New York City, New York  
  
"Kim, these are great." Patricia Kendery smiled as she gazed happily at the spread in front of her accompanied by a wonderfully written article on the new fall fashion. "These are going to look great for the big fall edition.  
  
"As long as they make it to the print shop." Kim said as she began to put away a few of the unwanted shots of models and new cloths line. "We have some pretty nice stuff coming with the season. The IT color is going to be lime green again. I don't know why, most people can't wear that color."  
  
"You can though. You're so fair." Pat had a rather odd fondness for the young writer. "But then, you don't need the fashion industry to tell you what to wear. You have great fashion sense as it is."  
  
"Thanks, Patty."  
  
"Hey, listen." She looked other at the glass partition and the big conference room there. "The boys up top are talking about the French Connection Fashion Show coming up in a month."  
  
"What about it?" Kimberly's eyes were on the spreadsheet that logged all the recent industry market change. "Everyone knows about it. It's been a year long project for the committee."  
  
"Yeah, but Vogue is going to choice someone to go from the New York office this year." Pat said with a knowing smile. "Apparently, Vogue Europe is having a difficult time security passes this year since the brawl last year by one of their reporters."  
  
Kimberly shook her head. It had been headline news for weeks. "Serves Vogue Europe right to send a man into a place like that. Especially with his fiancée being one of the models. You'd think he's never seen her pose half nude before."  
  
"Yeah, so they're sending someone from this office this year. Isn't it exciting?" Pat was practically glowing with her exhilaration.   
  
"Hey, Kim!" Joshua Sherman walked over with a large bouquet of pink roses and daisies next together with greens. "This just arrived at the front desk for you."  
  
"Oh, they're beautiful." Patricia leaned in and took a whiff of the wonderful scent that was already beginning to spread through the big office. "Who are they from?"  
  
Kimberly had a pretty good idea who they were from. Pulling out the little white card, she looked it over quickly. "How about dinner and a movie tonight, Beautiful? Call me if I can come over at six. Love, Tommy. PS. I thought you might like the flowers too." She smiled at the bouquet much the same as she would smile at its sender had he been there.   
  
"Well?" Pat waited rather impatiently for her to reveal the sender's name.  
  
"They are from a friend." She answered rather embarrassed.  
  
"Oh please," Josh rolled his eyes. "A guy doesn't dish out this much money for flowers unless there is an understanding between you two."  
  
Kimberly laughed. "You don't know my friend." She picked up the phone, very aware that the others were still listening.   
  
"Thomas Oliver's Office."  
  
"Hey, may I speak with Tommy? Tell him it's Kim."  
  
"Just a moment."  
  
"Hey, Beautiful. Did you get the flowers?"  
  
"How else would I get your office number? It was written on the card."  
  
"You could try 411, you know."  
  
"Yes, I suppose I could have." She smiled into the phone. "And yes, you can come over at six."  
  
"Great! You won't regret it."  
  
"I better not. Bye, Tommy."  
  
"See you later, Beautiful."  
  
Pat raised one brow as Kim hung up the phone. "Just friends, huh?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
The Hilton  
Denver, Colorado  
  
"Two separate reservation for Jason Scott and Trini Kwan." Jason said pulling his ID out from his wallet. "We'd like adjoining rooms with a connecting door please. This is a very tightly scheduled business trip."  
  
"Mr. Scott and Ms Kwan with the Denver Designs project."  
  
A blink look crossed Jason's face. "What?"  
  
Trini leaned over to whisper, "The developers. They're footing the bill for our stay here."  
  
"Oh," he grinned with amusement. Six hours on the plan talking about the project and neither one of them ever bought up the official name of the land developers. They were merely the other guys at the end of this deal. "Remind me to memorize that later."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Here we go." The clerk handed them each a digital key for their room. "Rooms 625 and 627. Enjoy your stay here with the Hilton and if there is anything you need, please do call us."  
  
Jason pocketed his key before turning to the clerk. "Well, we'll need a fax machine in her room, a display easel in mine, and dinner in two hours."  
  
The little man behind the desk was busy scribbling away. "Was there anything particular you would like served to you, sir?"  
  
"Anything is good. Make sure there's plenty. And coffee, we're going to need massive amounts of coffee this next couple of days." Jason said with a grin as he picked up his garment bag and pulling case. "Come on Counselor, time to get to work again."  
  
Trini sighed and lifted her own bags with ease. "No rest for the wicked."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"I thought you said something about a movie?" Kim murmured against Tommy's lips. "If we keep this up, I don't think we're going to be able to catch any movie at all."  
  
"Would it be so bad?" Tommy asked, his hand making a slowly descent from shoulder to hands. "I mean, I certainly won't mind staying in for the night."  
  
"I'll just bet you won't." She smiled against his lips as her nimble fingers made quick work of the buttons that currently kept his shirt closed. "You know, I'm going to have to kill Trini when she gets back."  
  
"Oh? Did she do something wrong?" He loved the feel of her warm hands on his skin.   
  
"You don't think so?" She was amazed at the muscles that stretched taunt across his chest. "You really think her little comment the other night wasn't about this?"  
  
"Oh that!" He laughed softly as he reached for her blouse. "I'll have to thank her for reminding me to look in on you."  
  
"Oh, you really are asking for it aren't you?" She pulled the shirttails from his pants.  
  
"I thought you said that I had a one track mind?"   
  
"And aren't you proving me right?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: Kimberly rolled over and let out a scream loud enough to wake the dead.  
  
  



	21. Changes

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: The one is for The Girl in the Red Jacket, who inspired the coffee scene. You are just too good girl and thanks for being my inspiration to write Jason/Trini fan fics. You are the best and I can't wait for you to come home.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
  
**Sorry for the delay on this chapter, the site was being mean to me.**  
  
***For those that are 17 and above, you can read the Kim/Tommy scene from chapter 20 at "A Touch of Love," where all the NC-17 scenes will now be posted.***  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-One  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 14, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Kimberly rolled over and let out a scream loud enough to wake the dead.  
  
Tommy's foot hit the floor and he was in fight mode in a blink. "What? What?"   
  
With breath that came in gulps, Kim sat there with her hand over her racing heart, trying to calm herself.   
  
Realizing that there was no immediately physical danger, Tommy got back into the bed and gathered her in his arms. "What's the matter, darling? Did you have a nightmare?"  
  
"I forgot." She blinked several times trying to clear her head.  
  
He smoothed back the baby fine hair. "What did you forget?"  
  
"That I wasn't alone in bed."   
  
"You all right?"  
  
"Yeah, just took a moment for me to reorient myself." Kimberly could feel herself blushing from head to toe. She felt ten times the fool for having over reacted when she found a warm body next to her. How could she have forgotten that Tommy and her had made love? "Oh god, this is so weird."  
  
Tommy smiled, and leaned back with contentment. "I think I can come to enjoy this."  
  
"This?" She peeked at him through her fingers.   
  
"Yeah, waking up next to you. Minus the screaming that is."   
  
He looked to be all too comfortable in her bed that she had an irrational Trini fear. Maybe we're rushing it? No, no, stop that. God Trini, you've got me doing it now!   
  
"What are you thinking of?" He watched her cautiously; there was something in her eyes that he didn't exactly like. "Kim?"  
  
"What?" She blinked.   
  
"What were you thinking of just now?"   
  
"Oh, I was just thinking about Trini."  
  
Tommy gave her an amused look. "You're in bed with me after having the most incredible sex for the majority of the night but you're thinking about your best friend. Is there something you and Trini should be telling the rest of the male population? Not to mention me?"  
  
Kimberly gave him a mighty shove that sent him flying over the side of the bed, along with the blanket and the body pillow Kimberly loved so much. "You're so asking for it, Thomas Oliver."  
  
Tommy's head come over the side with a grin. "You know it."  
  
"Stop joking, I was serious."  
  
He got up slowly and sat down again, gathering her in his arms. "I'm sorry. Go ahead, share with me."  
  
"Trini's got this thing about relationships." Kim said thoughtfully, not too sure just how much to say without betraying Trini's confidence.  
  
"I would too if I had all my ex turn into stalkers on me." Tommy still had a hard time imagining anyone trying to hurt sweet gentle Trini. Okay, so she's not too sweet when she's trying to kick your ass but for most parts..."  
  
"Yeah, but it has left a lot of scars that's likely to keep her from happiness if it keeps up."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that she thinks that she's no good with love. That emotions of that kind is just not within her and that she can't have a loving relationship where two people share the same amount of affection for one another." At the blank look on Tommy's face, Kim sighed. "In other words, she thinks that she can't fall in love with anyone. That's going to keep her from finding who ever it is that she's meant to be with."  
  
"I'm sure that's not try. There's no one more in tuned with their emotions than Trini is." Tommy stroked her hair and held her tighter.  
  
"You don't know everything that's been going on Tommy."  
  
"What do you mean?" He frowned thoughtfully. "Wait, you said something before, about her dating someone now."  
  
"She's not dating him. She's merely sleeping with him." Kim shook her head and sighed. "My best friend thinks that she can't have a normal relationship so she replaces it with sex with some complete stranger whom she apparently is in constant fear of him wanting more than just sex."  
  
"You're kidding right?" He looked at her with disbelief.   
  
"I wish."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 14, 2004  
The Hilton  
Denver, Colorado  
  
The Richard the bellboy had been there for the past three years. He's seen everything from the sixty-year-old millionaire with his eighteen-year-old mistress to cheating husbands being caught with their pants down, literally. So when he knocked on room 627, he fully expected the man with his lady attorney to be doing something other than work. After all, no one ever realizes just how much a bellboy sees. But what he didn't expect was to find the room looking like a hurricane had just passed threw it. There were papers and half opened books everywhere.   
  
"Jason? Where is the summary from the opposing firm?" Trini flipped through three more piles of loose-leaf documents. None of which was neatly color coded, as they should be.   
  
"Under the preliminary floor plans." Jason was busy shaving the day old stubble from his face. "Is that breakfast?"  
  
"Yes sir," Richard was rather startled to discover the two actually looking as if they did spend the night preparing for what appeared to be an important meeting. "Two servings of the usual breakfast."  
  
"Thank you," Trini said absentmindedly as she jotted down more notes. "Remind me to ask the opposing side about construction crews. I don't want you to have to bring in your own people if they already have a crew there to pick from. I hate to think of the expense it would be to bring in an out of state crew plus there's that whole issue of political toe stepping with the unions that I just don't want to deal with."  
  
Jason frowned into the mirror. "I'll be sure to talk to them though I know a local crew that would be great for the project. Conductor's name is Peter Jensen." He glanced over at the bellboy. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do I need to sign something?"   
  
"Here, I got it." Trini said as she picked up the little tab. "Hold on a second." She began to scan the room for her purse. "Huh... Jason, you seen my purse?"  
  
"Probably in your room. You only brought your briefcase and legal files over last night." Jason said as he towel his face clean. "I've got this one." Pulling his wallet out, he handed the man five dollars. "Thanks."  
  
"Thank you sir." Richard pocketed the bill and took one last look at the messy, papered scattered bed and shook his head. First honest people he's seen in a while.  
  
"Eat something," Jason said as he came over and kissed the side of Trini's neck, just under her left ear. "You've been working on this for half the night."  
  
She smiled and leaned over to trade kisses with him for a moment. They may have been too tired after putting in a full afternoon's work and then some to make love last night, but being able to wake up in Jason's arms had been surprisingly comfortable. They had designated his room as the workroom and hers as the sleeping room, though Jason would keep all his personal stuff in his room in case of a drop in by the bosses. "I don't want to walk in there today and look incompetent. Hardly a good way to start off proceedings."  
  
"I'm sure you're going to wow them with your charm and skills, plus all those legal terms that I could never figure out." He poured the hot coffee into two mugs. "One double, double for you and one double milk, triple sugar for me."  
  
Trini hid a smile behind her brief, amused at the fact that he knew how she took her coffee. He was just so unbelievably sweet that way. But her heart gave an involuntary jump that the thought that he was beginning to pick up on her habits. Next thing she would know, he would know where she was at every minute of every day. Stop that Trini! This is Jason, your elementary school pal. The one that use to make fun of Bulk and Skull and protect you for their less than amorous advances. He won't do that.  
  
"What are you thinking of that's made that frown on your face." Jason asked, brushing some blue prints aside carelessly and sitting down on the bed. Lord she's beautiful in the morning. Waking up with her still sleeping in his arms had been so incredibly intimate and so wonderfully calming. Her long sooty lashings fanning out just under her eyes, her pouting lips all soft and smooth, that wonderful softness about her had been so evident in her sleep. "How come you girls can always wake up looking fresh as a daisy."  
  
She grinned, shaking the dire thoughts from her mind. "It's a gift." She sipped the coffee slowly and looked over the files again. "You meeting the developers on site this afternoon?"  
  
"Yeah, we're going to go over some stuff after the initial meeting with you lawyers this morning." Jason picked up the newspaper that had accompany the breakfast tray. "Hum...NT is down again."  
  
"Really?" Trini glanced over his frowning face. "You own shares?"  
  
"Yeah, but only two thousand."  
  
"You're fine then. If it dips below sixty dollars a share, sell and hope to make up the loss at a later date."   
  
Jason looked up, rather startled to get this sudden advice. "Why do you say that?"  
  
"Cause that means NT collected another small company to add to its over all gross production. The shareholders would demand the lowering of the price to reduce losses if something should go wrong in the emerging market. You can buy lower at a later date cause NT is an old company. It'll make a turn around." She shrugged her shoulder lightly. "Then again, I could be wrong. I'm no stock broker like Tommy."  
  
Jason nearly choked on his coffee. He had been having the exact same thought about the out come of the NT buyout and had spent a few hours in the evening arguing over it with Tommy, whose conclusion had been exactly the same with the exception that he predicted that the stock would have to dip to fifty dollars a share before the buyout would go through.   
  
Trini munched quietly on a piece of toast as Jason dug into the waffles. They sat there having breakfast together in comfortable, easy silence. Life was good for those quiet moments in life.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 14, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Well, look what the cat dragged in?" Rocky said with wide smile as Tommy, freshly showered and changed for work, stepped into the kitchen.   
  
Adam hid his smile behind a coffee mug. "I thought you would head start to work from Kim's place."  
  
"Shut up, you two." Tommy said with the rolling of his eyes. "You're just bitter cause I got some last night."  
  
"Hope you wrapped it up." Adam said with his usual cautious tone, as when he warned his patients. "Cause getting Kimberly in an interesting condition would be beneficial to your relationships right now."  
  
"Don't worry, I won't make a mistake like that. And yes, we use a condom." He grinned suddenly. "Several in fact."  
  
"Okay, W.T.M.I.!" Rocky said but covering his eyes instead of his ears.  
  
"What?" Tommy looked at him confused.  
  
Rocky grinned. "Way too much information."  
  
Adam rolled his eyes. "Ignore him. And never let him make dinner for anyone again. I swore I thought I had to go to the emergency room last night myself as a patient. Damn, that was bad."  
  
"Hey, you just have a delicate stomach." Rocky said defensively.   
  
"And yours is like a trash compacter." Adam countered. "I don't even know what was in that thing last night."  
  
"It was an omelet with the works."  
  
Tommy bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Well, to be fair Adam. Not every one is a cook like Trini."  
  
"I sincerely hope she and Jason comes back soon. Other than restaurants, I don't think any one of us can produce a decent meal." Adam sighed with much sadness for his much abused stomach.  
  
"Speaking of Jason," Tommy scratched his chin and sat down at the breakfast table. "Has anyone else notice how strange he's been acting lately?"  
  
"Strange?" Rocky shook his head. "He hasn't been acting all that different."  
  
Adam made a face. "Rocky, you're hardly ever around long enough to notice. The only week we've all been together and you were gone."  
  
"True."  
  
"I don't mean big changes." Tommy said as he thought carefully. "Just little ones."  
  
"Yeah," Adam nodded. "Like he's always doing his sheets."  
  
"Maybe he developed a phobia." Rocky suggested.   
  
"No, I don't think that's it." Tommy frowned, trying to locate the problem in his head. There was something slightly off about the whole thing that he just can't name. "And how often he showers, sometime twice a day."  
  
"Whoa, that is weird. Jason wants to be clean now." Rocky rolled his eyes. "Come on guys, you're making big deal out of nothing. So Jason likes to be cleaner now, it's not a crime." He stood up and took his mug and dish to the sink. "If you ask me, you two are overreacting to nothing."  
  
"I guess." Tommy sighed and stood up as well. "Okay, I get off at the usual time."  
  
"Yeah, but will you be back." Adam teased, letting go of the Jason puzzle for now.  
  
Tommy grinned good-naturedly. "Sure I would. At least to get a change of cloths so I don't have to rush back like today."  
  
The others exchanged glanced and sighed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 14, 2004  
Denver Designs  
10640 Walnut Lane, Suite 510  
Denver, Colorado  
  
"We're not asking for an unreasonable fee here. But you are asking my client to design a multiplex plus the additional design spec. that is original to your region. I'm sure you've all studied up on my client's credentials. After all, we won't be here if you didn't know the quality of work you would be getting." Trini brushed a long lock over her shoulder and studied the three men across the triangular table from her. The lawyers were all older graying men that appeared to think that they can step all over her just simply because she was younger and prettier than they are in her gray suit. "We're not lowering the price of the deal."  
  
The three men exchanged glanced then looked over at the senior partners in Denver Designs. The four men sitting on the third side of the table exchange looks and a nod. "We'll need a few minutes to confer."  
  
"Take all the time you need, gentlemen." Trini stood up and motion for Jason to do the same. "Mr. Scott and I will go get some coffee and be back in fifteen minutes."  
  
"That sounds fine," like the good old boys that they are, they too stood up when Trini stood. A true gentleman never sits when a lady is standing in their presence. "We'll have an answer for you in a few minutes."  
  
Trini nodded back with a smile and got out to there as fast as she could. Jason followed and tucked her arm into his. "You were great in there."  
  
"I feel like I need a bath." Trini said with a sigh. "They think that just cause I'm younger that I'm going to buckle simply because they can hold a staring contest better than I can?"  
  
"Don't let them get to you." Jason was impressed with Trini's performance in the conference room. She had been steady, taking down notes as the other side spoke and making comments along the way. She gasped everything quickly and reassessed their option almost immediately. Jason and the firm of Miller and Hoffman Architectural were at an advantage here. They had a name and reputation for getting things done and done right the first time. Plus, Jason's recent designs have been getting plenty of publicity.  
  
"I want this to go through. I'd feel badly if I lost your client for you." Trini said as she watched him pour coffee. "I wish people drink tea more. It's healthier."  
  
"But not nearly as popular." Jason smiled and calmly run his hand over the small of her back. "I'm sure that everything will work out for the best. Once we get an initial agreement done, I'll go to the site today with someone and take a look at the design area and get some measurements done quickly. Then we're ready to roll with this."  
  
"Think they'll go for it?" Trini asked, suddenly apprehensive.   
  
Jason's eyes reflected his belief in her. "I know they will." His heart felt a little bigger standing here trying to qualm her fears. She was so strong yet so vulnerable in so many ways. A small part of him wanted to protect and help her along the way. He never wanted her to be afraid of anything.  
  
Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, relaxing the tension that had set in her shoulder, she nodded her head. "Okay, time to face the enemy."  
  
"For heaven sakes, Trini. It's not a battle." Jason smiled.  
  
"It certainly feels like one to me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 14, 2004  
Vogue Magazine Inc.  
6500 Wellington Avenue, Suite 600  
New York City, New York  
  
"Brrrriiiiinnnnnggggg."  
  
With a sigh of frustration, she picked up the phone. "Kimberly Hart."  
  
"Hey there Kim."  
  
"Zack?" Kim's smile came naturally and easily. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm doing great." Zack held the phone up higher with his shoulder as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'm in Los Angeles right now. Just came back to see the folk before the Lion King tour starts again in two weeks."  
  
"That's great!" Kim was so proud of Zack for making it to Broadway. The man had talent and obviously someone saw it. "When are you to hit New York on that tour?"  
  
"Sometime in December. You guys going to come see me dance?"   
  
"Do you even need to ask?" She laughed and shook her head. "We miss you."  
  
"You don't know how good it is to hear your voice again." Zack sighed and leaned back. "How is everyone?"  
  
"Adam is pulling night shifts this week. Rocky is still as bad as he ever was. Billy is moving here in what should be another week or so. Trini and Jason are out of town on a business trip."  
  
"Together?" Surprised evident in his voice.  
  
"A long and rather funny story. Let's just say that fate has a rather ironic sense of humor." Kim giggled as she remembered the scene from the dinner. Jason couldn't stop laughing for the rest of the night. And Trini looked like she was going to faint from the lack of oxygen every time she looked at Jason.  
  
"And Tommy?" Zack asked slyly.   
  
"What about him?" All innocent like.  
  
"Come one, spill it to the Zack man."  
  
"We're going good."  
  
"So you guys hit the hay yet?"  
  
"Zack! What a thing to ask!" Feeling herself blushing.  
  
"Well, according to Rocky, Tommy didn't come home last night." He was fighting hard not to grin too big.  
  
"ZACK!!!"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 14, 2004  
The Hilton  
Denver, Colorado  
  
Trini looked up as the door to the room opened to reveal a slightly disheveled Jason. "Hey, how was the site visit?"  
  
"Not too great." Jason made a face and took off his suit jacket with a sigh. "I'm glad that we're asking for so much money cause this is going to take some work."  
  
"That bad?"  
  
"Worse."  
  
Trini got up and pulled him to the bed, getting him to sit in front of her so she could work on some of those tense muscles that was obviously bothering him. "So what you suspected was right?"  
  
"The ground is hard as granite and going to be impossible to break. The crew will have to be paid more to get them to even touch this thing. And I'm going to have to set up foundation that doesn't require a base pouring or someone is going to mutiny." He groaned deep in his throat as Trini's hand worked her magic on the hard muscles in his shoulders. "Oh that's good, right there."  
  
She smiled in reaction and applied more pressure, feeling the knot just under the thick skin. "You need to take a few minutes to relax. Everything is going good right now. I've faxed the preliminary stuff over to the New York office already. We should hear back from them in an hour or two with your bosses answer." She reached around and gently unbuttoned his shirt slowly, pealing back the material. "Then I can take the revised version to Denver Designs for approval. Once we have that settled, I'll go ahead and have them sign it and express mail it to your firm. By Friday, we'll be back in Jersey and maybe in your steam room?"  
  
He could feel her cooling hands on his body. "Hum... sounds like you have everything planned out to the t."   
  
"I aim to please." She kissed the edge of his ear. "So, why don't you go take a shower."  
  
He reached around and held her to him in a tight embrace. "In a minute."  
  
"Jason," she shook her head at him. "You need to sleep now, you look positively exhausted. We still have a lot to do. But right now, it is my turn while you take a break and work on some designs. Once we've got all the papers signed and court certified, you're up with the next part. You better be on your toes."  
  
He frowned thoughtfully. "In other words, you don't have the time for me to show you how much I just appreciated that back rub."  
  
"If it's the kind of appreciation that I got the first time I gave you a massage, I really don't have time for it. But I'll settle for you ordering some dinner and letting me get some work done before I have to sleep."  
  
He leaned over and kissed her on the nose. "Okay, you've got a deal."  
  
Trini sighed and watched as he got up and made his way into the other room to shower. She would need his room to work since it had held the fax machine and e-mail connections. She was afraid to admit that she like this side of him. The playful, teasing side that made her wanted to forget everything else in life and crawl into bed with him. He was fast becoming a very important part of her life, she was intelligent enough to know that. As a friend, Jason had always been important. But now...something has shifted and she wasn't sure what it was or where it would lead. All she knew was that she wasn't ready to let it go yet.   
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Let's just say that it made Mount St. Helen look like my old sparkler system in the front yard."  



	22. Twists and Turns

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Priscilla and Ozmandayus for your support and inspiration. Thanks guys for always being a good friend to a fellow writer.  
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Two  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 15, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Adam pulled himself out of the car and sighed as he turned toward the back door. The graveyard shift was a nightmare. On top of three gang shootings, there were several car accidents and suicide attempt that went wrong. He was exhausted and in need of sleep.  
  
"Good morning." Rocky called out.  
  
"Urgh...." Adam smelled coffee. "Want some."  
  
"Help yourself." Rocky said then shook his head. "I second thought, sit down and I'll bring you some. You look worse than I do after an all nighter in college."  
  
"Can't keep eyes open." Adam muttered as he sat down gratefully.   
  
"Here, this is strong enough to make you want to sit up and dance."  
  
"Urgh..." He took a small sip and felt his eyes pop open. "What the hell!"  
  
"Told you." Rocky grinned.   
  
"What did you put in this?" Adam put the cup down and stared at it cautiously.   
  
"The stuff they give people when they've had too much to drink. It's an eye opener as my uncle use to say." Rocky smiled, rather pleased with himself.  
  
"Rocky, an eye opener is an alcoholic drink that takes the edge off a hangover. I'm not drunk, just tired." Adam sighed and pushed the chair back. "I'm going to bed."  
  
Rocky shrugged. "Okay. I'm going to work. Be back at the usual time."  
  
"Is Tommy still around?"  
  
"Never came home last night."   
  
"Figures."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 15, 2004  
The Hilton  
Denver, Colorado  
  
Richard knocked on the door, wondering what he was expected to see this morning. The last time he was here, the night before, the man had been in a bathrobe lying on his back, dead to the world. The petite lady had hurried him in a finger to her lips, silencing him as he pushed the dinner tray in. She had been wearing a white shirt and a gray skirt that was tight around the hip. She had given him a ten-dollar tip and a smile for his trouble. It had been perfectly innocent and completely out of the ordinary in his line of work to see. He was rather eager to see what was going to happen today.  
  
The pretty woman with the black hair, dressed impeccably in a dark forest green suit with a long skirt, opened the door with a smile. "Come in," she held the door open for him. "Just set it there."  
  
The dark handsome man was shaving again. He was still wearing the bathrobe but a neatly pressed dark blue suit was laid out on the bed, which was once again cluttered with papers and files.  
  
"Jason, breakfast." She reached for her wallet. "Thanks again."  
  
"Not a problem madam." The five-dollar bill disappeared into his pocket just as he caught sight of the blueprint designs on the table. "You guys architects?"  
  
"He is," pointing to the still shaving man. "I'm the lawyer."  
  
"You guys doing the mall thing?" Richard asked excited now. He had heard rumors about the old movie theater being turned into a multiplex and shopping mall. "Any idea when it's going to be open?"  
  
Jason smiled. "Well, considering I've yet to finish the designs and go over the spectrographs on the soil, I'd say sometime within the next two years."  
  
"Two year?" Richard sighed. "Damn!"  
  
The lady turned from her big book of small printed legal jargon. "Well, if we don't get today's court petition in, it's going to take even longer. I'm certainly not going to stay an extra week to work out the detail here."  
  
"Ready for the New York life again?" Jason asked as he towel wiped this face clean.   
  
That was Richard's cue to leave. "Anything you need, just give us a ring."  
  
"Thanks." She waved her good byes as she buried her nose back into the book while jotting down notes on a legal pad next to her on the bed.  
  
"Nice kid." Jason said as he came in and sat down next to, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Eat something, you've been working all night."  
  
"I need to be ready for today."  
  
"You anticipate problems?"   
  
"No but I want to be ready for anything that can come up." Her brows came together in a furrow. "If I know land developers, and believe me I do, they've probably pissed of some people along the way trying to get this project just started that we're going to get protestor. That means I'm going to have figure out a way to counter any objections that is thrown at me."  
  
"Can you?" Jason asked, his arm slipping around her, offering comfort.   
  
"I should be able to." Trini sighed and leaned against him. "I went online last night and dug up everything I can about the developers and the project itself. I haven't come across anything that I didn't expect and can't counter attack on. I don't anticipate there being a problem. The judge we pulled is a good one, long term relationship with the community but with a conscious view of society and its needs.."  
  
"So relax for two second and have breakfast with me." Jason reached over with one hand, keeping the other wrapped around her waist, and poured two steaming cups of black coffee. "This should perk you right up."  
  
Trini smiled and watched him with a sigh. It was nice, the peace. "I wish I can just stay there all day with you and watch you work."  
  
"Pretty boring stuff unless you know what you're doing." He smiled as he poured the cream in. "I have to meet with developers for spec. approval this afternoon. You going to come back for lunch?"  
  
"No," she took the cup from him and sipped delicately. "I'm going to grab something quick over there and hope for the best. I should be down at the courthouse all day."  
  
"Okay then," he kissed her lips before getting up and walking over to the makeshift drawing board he had created the day before. "I'll be here until at least one thirty then down at the developers after that. I most, I'll be back around five or six. We can get some dinner out then if you'd like."  
  
Trini watched him study the simple preliminary designs he had been working on the night before. The sunlight glistened off his dark hair and silhouetted his profile. He had a strong face with lots of angles and hard muscles to reflect off of. "Yeah, let's do that."  
  
He turned and smiled at her catching the wistful smile on her lips. "What?"  
  
"Nothing." She shook her head clearing the daydream from her mind.   
  
"No, that's not a nothing look." He came over and sat down again. "What?"  
  
"I was just thinking..."  
  
"Yes?" he prompted.   
  
She smiled rather mischievously. "Well...that we had more sex when we were not living next to one another and sneaking around than we are now that we're practically sleeping in the same bed every night."  
  
Jason grinned. "While I do miss being able to roll around the bed with you, the sleeping in the same bed part I like very much."  
  
Her heart jumped a beat and she forced herself to calm down and not put double meaning where there wasn't any. "I like sleeping with you too. But..."  
  
"But?" He's eyes went wide with outrage. "There's a but in there?"  
  
"But..." she grinned. "I won't mind a romp between the sheets tonight if you're not too tired."  
  
"You mean if you're not too tired." He kissed her shoulder through the thin silk silver blouse she wore. "I'm always up to making love to you."  
  
Her smile fluttered for a mille second. Making love? It sounded nice but she knew better than that. He's just use to the culture cliché term for sex. Nothing to it. Let it go girl! "So does that mean I get to use you until I drop tonight?"  
  
Jason's eyes flickered for a second, responding to her response. Let me in, Trini. I'm not one of your ex-boyfriends, I'm not going to hurt you. I don't want to have you, posses you, or put you in a glass case for display. I just want to be with you. He took a deep breath and smiled at her. Later, I'll deal with this later. Don't need to ruin a perfectly good playful moment. "I'm yours for the taking."  
  
Trini reached around him, hugging him tightly, grateful that he understood her need to keep thing simple. Friendship and sex. That's all there is to it. I can do this. "Oh boy, this is going to be a very interesting night. But this means that I've got to get going soon if I want to be back in a good mood ready for some action." She escaped from him just as he was making a slow decent toward her throat.   
  
Jason sighed and collapsed on the bed. "I eagerly await your pleasure."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 15, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Tommy crept up from behind, kissing the back of Kimberly's neck as she tried to put on her earrings. "Hey, you keep this up, I'm going to be late for work."  
  
He grinned. "That's okay, I feel more than ready to go to bed for the rest of the day."  
  
Kimberly laughed. "Don't get use to this. Trini comes home tomorrow and she might object to you being here. After all, this is her house."   
  
"Well, how about if I stay here and she can have my room at Jason's." Tommy suggest with all earnest. "I'm sure Jason won't mind."  
  
"And you don't think Trini would mind?" she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We'll just have to arrange alone time with everyone every once in a while. But no more overnight stays."  
  
Tommy groaned. "I think I may have to go out and get my own place then. Cause I'm not sure if I can get up after making love to you."  
  
"Stop that," Kimberly batted lightly at his hands as they closed around her again, pulling back against him. "I have to get to work."  
  
"No breakfast?" he asked with a frown. "Most important meal of the day, or so Adam keeps telling us when we rush out the door with nothing but a cup of coffee in our stomachs." He grinned fondly at the thought. "He's gotten into the habit of having those health bar things with the fruit near the door so we can grab one when we leave. They taste like cardboard but are suppose to be good for us."  
  
Kimberly laughed with amusement. "Trini usually has something sitting on the table when I come down and a traveling mug of coffee for me as I'm rushing out the door. I think it's all that wonderful food that has be forgetting about the time so I'm always in a rush."  
  
He smiled and kissed her cheek. "As long as she's helping you put some of that weight back, I don't care if she's stuffing you like a piglet."   
  
"Oh trust me, living with Trini is definitely going to be hard on the waistline." He watched her check her briefcase quickly before grabbing her keys. "You going to go to work?"  
  
"Yeah," he nodded but kept his arms around her. "I'll be going soon."  
  
"Are you going to let me go first?"  
  
"Who would lock up if you leave first?" He asked curiously.  
  
She laughed. "I mean are you going to physically let go of me first."  
  
Tommy grinned rather wolfishly. "I'll get to see you tonight right?"  
  
"Considering this is the last night we're going to be able to sleep here, I had considered it, yes." She smiled.   
  
"Oh trust me, it isn't going to be a last night at all."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 15, 2004  
William Cranston's Resident  
357 Wilshire Blvd. #3D  
St. Louis, Missouri  
  
Billy sighed as he put the speakers and sound woofer away. The only thing left of his computer was the tower and screen, even the mouse and keypad was gone now. He was getting ready to move out, truly leave this place for a new start in New York.  
  
"Brrrriiiiinnnnnggggg....."  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Billy man." Aisha's cheerful voice came through the line slightly distorted.  
  
"Hey, Aisha. How are you?" Billy sat down on the leather chair that he had invested in several years before for comfort. "Where are you?"  
  
"We're currently in Kenya. Tanya is bullying the local cab driver to give her a ride to the Peace Corp. headquarters for half the price he usually charges his foreign customers."   
  
"Sounds like you two are having fun over there."   
  
"We're doing okay. I could use more frequent baths but I'll live for now. I called to tell you and we're coming into the state for about a week before heading out to Siberia for another assignment." Her excite could be clearly heard through the phone.  
  
"Where in the states?"  
  
"That's to be determined."   
  
"New Jersey is real nice this time of year."  
  
Aisha laughed. "So I hear. It would appear to be the place to be now a days."  
  
"I would appear that way."  
  
"Okay, second purpose for calling. Could you please send Kat some flowers for me by Saturday?"  
  
"Sunday? What's..." Billy's mind went through the thousands of important dates that he kept stored away. "Oh... Sure, I'll take care of it."  
  
"Thanks." Aisha's voice was quiet, thoughtful. "Okay, I better go. This call is costing me a fortune."  
  
"Don't worry about the flowers. And next time, charge it to me." He shrugged to the empty room. "It's not like I spend my money on much else."  
  
"So, when do you hit the big apple?"  
  
"In two weeks time."  
  
"Two weeks?"  
  
"Yeah, I've still got some loose ends here that needs to be taken care of. And plus, I need to make a trip to Angel Grove to see the folks. I haven't seen them since Christmas and I kind of miss them."  
  
"Yeah, I understand. Okay, in two weeks then. I'll see about saving the cab driver from Tanya."  
  
"Have fun. See you soon."  
  
"Bye Billy."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 15, 2004  
Vogue Magazine Inc.  
6500 Wellington Avenue, Suite 600  
New York City, New York  
  
"Brrriiinnnngggg....."  
  
"Kimberly Hart."  
  
"My my, aren't we all professional?"   
  
"Hey, Trini!" Kimberly dropped the pen she had been using to list the photos for the next spread. "How are you?"  
  
"Taking a break from the madhouse, better known as the Denver Superior Court." Trini leaned against the wall and briefly wondered if her phone card had enough credits to get her through this call. "How are you? You and Tommy tearing up the sheets yet?"  
  
"Trini! How can you think such low based thoughts of your friend?" Kimberly said in all seriousness until she broke out laughing. "Of course we did."  
  
"And?"  
  
"A lady does not kiss and tell." Kimberly stated simply.  
  
"Show me a lady." Trini returned.  
  
"Bitch!" She laughed with great fun. "Let's just say that it made Mount St. Helen look like our old front yard sprinkler system."  
  
Trini grinned happily for her friend. "Oh... now don't tell me you expected anything less?"  
  
Kimberly closed her eyes and sighed. "You have no idea what I felt when he touched me. I wanted to die then and be a happy woman for all of eternity. It was like being asleep all your life and waking up to see the sun all bright and wonderful."  
  
"Okay, the fact that you're making poetry out of this is enough to testified that it was damn good for you girl!" Trini almost laughed. "Okay, looks like we're going in again. I only have one thing to tell you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Enjoy every lasting second of it. Fuck him until he can't see straight then pounce in for the kill."   
  
"Trini, anyone ever tell you that you're scary like that?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 15, 2004  
The Hilton  
Denver, Colorado  
  
Jason put the pencil down as the door slowly opened to reveal an exhausted Trini standing with her briefcase in one hand and her other arm loaded with legal documents that threatened to topple her. "Here, let me help you with that."  
  
"Thanks," Trini handed the stack to him and kicked off her heels in an effort to relieve some of the pain her in legs from standing all day. "Oh, I'm so tired."  
  
"I'm not surprised. You've been gone all day." Jason poured her some water while she divulged herself of her suit jacket, silver watch, and earrings. "You want something to eat?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so." She took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. Her eyes had the look of exhaustion to them as she turned them toward her. "Would you mind if we eat in tonight again? I don't think I'm up to going out tonight mingling with people."   
  
"I don't mind a night in with nothing but you." He knelt on the floor and picked up her foot, rubbing the arch soothingly. He watched her with concerned eyes, the dark circles were beginning to form around her eyes making her age. The past few days have been hard on her, between preparations and dealing with clients, she's also had to write briefs and file court petitions within hours on finishing compliments and research materials. It's more than what one person should be doing. The home office is doing their best trying to answer her request for information as quickly as possible but sometimes she's just got to do it herself. "You want red or white wine? I think you might need it."  
  
"No," she shook her head slowly, allowing the tension to flow out of her through his touch. "My system won't be able to handle anything that sharp tonight. I'll just have some water and juice, okay? You may have something if you like."  
  
"No, I'll have what you have." He could feel the tension in her legs as he began to work on her calves. "We'll eat and..." the ringing phone had them both groaning with pain.  
  
Trini sighed and reached over the bed to the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Ms. Kwan?"  
  
"Hello Mr. Boyle. I was just about to fax of the certified court petition. We're in." She looked at Jason with a smile. "I should be back on tomorrow night and..."  
  
"No you won't." Mr. Boyle said with a sigh of regret. "Something's come up and I need you to handle it immediately."  
  
"What?" Trini frowned and sat up slowly, pulling herself away from Jason's soothing touch. "What do you mean?'  
  
Jason watched her with a frown. The small concern line was at her forehead again. Something wasn't quite right. He was about to take the phone when a knock on the door interrupted him. Glancing briefly at her, he went to answer the knock, wondering who it could be.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Room service."  
  
Jason cracked the door open. "I didn't order anything."  
  
"Package for you and Ms. Kwan arrived at the front desk this afternoon. We signed for it, sir."  
  
He glanced at the big package and frowned. It was certainly long enough to contain tubs of blueprints. "Thank you." He reached behind him for his wallet when the bellboy shook his head.   
  
"That's okay, sir."   
  
"No, I insist." He pushed the five in to the boy's hand. The kid looked no older than eighteen. "Thank you."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
Jason shut the door and looked at the big package. He had a really bad feeling about this.  
  
"Jason," Trini's voice caught his attention. He looked up to see her holding the phone out to him. "You're not going to like this."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from next chapter: "Adam, sometimes you are way too perspective that you're scary."  
  



	23. Places and Things

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To Shawn (Gemini) for being a ever loyal reader with lots of good advises and comments for me.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Three  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
The Hilton  
Denver, Colorado  
  
Trini turned onto her back and groaned. Her muscles felt like a dozen putties have pounded them. Reaching out next to her, she felt cooling sheets where her lover had been the night before. After much work and a lot of headaches following the bombshell that their bosses decided to drop on them, they decided to call it a night and get some sleep before what would be a hectic day to come.  
  
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Jason leaned over the bed with a big grin and kissed her forehead. "I ordered breakfast for us and we're to meet with the Denver developers in two hours. Can you get awake enough for it?"  
  
She groaned again and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before turning her head toward the clock. Squinting up at him, she gave him a good frown for his morning-person liveliness. "How can you be so cheery at six in the morning when we've only gone to bed four hours before?"  
  
"I'm just gifted that way." He smiled as she stretched out under the sheets. "Sorry we didn't get to see some action last night. I certainly missed it." Though he really did enjoy being able to climb into bed with her and hold her while she slept. She was so incredibly beautiful when she slept, not that she wasn't beautiful when she was awake. But sleep places a rather serene expression on her face that the harsh waking world doesn't always.   
  
"Me too. Trust me, I would definitely have preferred hitting the sheets with you than hitting the briefs last night." She sat up slowly without any effort at supporting herself with her arms. Tired she may be but graceful she is always. "I need a shower before we get to work."  
  
"Go for it."  
  
"Want to join me?" She gave him such an inviting smile that he almost did.   
  
"Love to but I can't. Got to wait for room service." He smiled wistfully at her.   
  
"Your lost." She tossed back the sheets, in where she slept in the nude and padded to the bathroom without bothering with the thin robe on the foot of the bed.  
  
Jason swallowed hard and rubbed his freshly shaved face. "You have no idea."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Tommy? Where are my keys?" Kimberly asked as she rushed around trying to gather everything at the same time.  
  
"On your briefcase, which is sitting on the coffee table." Tommy answered with great amusement. "Relax, you've got plenty of time."  
  
"I'm going to be late." Kimberly replied with great exasperation at herself. "You have any idea how long it take to get through the toll way this time of day?"  
  
"Yes, cause I go through it everyday to get to work." He smiled and grabbed her around the waist as she tried to rush by him again. "Take a deep breath, Beautiful. Everything is good."  
  
"I hate being late for anything." She said with a sigh and leaned against him for a moment. "I need to get going."  
  
"Tell you what?" He said letting go enough to let her turn in his arms to fast him. "Why don't I drive you in today so we can take the carpool lane? I'll pick you up after work and we'll get dinner before having to pick up Jason and Trini at the airport."  
  
Kimberly considered this seriously. "That's not a bad idea. When is their plane coming in?"  
  
"Sometime around ten, if I remember correctly."  
  
"Okay, we'll go back to your place before then. We'll need confirmation before going. I hate waiting around the airport only to find out that the plane has been delayed or something." She frowned.  
  
"Okay, that sounds like a plan to me." He kissed her cheek, not wanting to smear her lipstick. "Come on, let's get going then before we really are going to be late."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Morning shift or night shift?" Rocky asked as he poured coffee.  
  
"Morning." Adam replied with a yawn. "I hate being the new guy. They stick me with the worse stuff."  
  
"But you love being a doctor." Rocky pointed out with a grin.  
  
"True." He sipped the coffee carefully. "Remind me to ask Trini what brand this is."  
  
"Jose's vanilla coffee bean. I asked already."  
  
"Tommy?"  
  
"Kimberly's."  
  
"Thought so."  
  
"Bed?"  
  
"No, ten o'clock call in. You?"  
  
"Out the door now."  
  
"Have fun."  
  
"You too."  
  
"Jason?"  
  
"Tonight at ten."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
The Hilton  
Denver, Colorado  
  
"That went well." Jason said as he shut the door with the heel of his foot. His head was still buzzing with all the details and changes that would have to be made in the new plans to adjust to the developers' style and ideas. He had made quick notes of it throughout the meeting but even then, it was going to be difficult to get everything. He was sure glad that he would be handing the whole project over to another soon enough. His bosses had other plans for him now.  
  
"Almost too well." Trini said as she tossed her brief case onto the bed. Her ice blue suit suited today's rather chilly meeting with the developers to iron out the last minute details. But she was also professional and kept her cool throughout the entire meeting, though at various points of the negotiations she felt like tearing someone's hair out. "I hate it when that happens. Always makes me suspicious of the other guys."  
  
"You're growing paranoid." Jason warned with a grin. But he'll admit to being a little nervous as well. While the details have been complicated, the overall scheme was too simple by half. "They want this thing more than we do."  
  
"True." She sighed and began to put together the package of papers that would have to be sent soon. "How long?"  
  
"We've got an hour and a half to pack. We need to be at the airport by two at the latest."  
  
"Does this mean that we're not getting any lunch?" She asked with a pitiful look on her face. "I'm hungry."  
  
"Okay, we'll order something and eat as we pack." Jason said picking up the phone. "Sandwiches okay? They're the quickest and the easiest to work around."  
  
"Sounds fine to me." Trini picked up a stack of legal documents that was needed and sighed. "We'll have to air mail some of this stuff first. I want the home office to get it started while we work on this other thing. Can you believe they dropped this in our laps last night?"  
  
"I know," Jason nodded his understanding as he set the phone down after giving a quick order of lunch to the ever patient and helpful operator. "I've arranged for the mailing already."  
  
She stopped and looked at him with a smile. "You've just thought of everything, haven't you?"  
  
"Just trying to stay one step ahead of everything before it snowballs on us." He replied with a return smile as he began to roll up the blueprints. "We'll have to call the guys later about the plans being changed."  
  
"Okay, but we better be sure to do it. I can just see Kimberly pacing the airport fearing the worse."  
  
"With Tommy there trying to calm her down all the while thinking the exact same thoughts." Jason laughed.   
  
"Oh brother."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
Vogue Magazine Inc.  
6500 Wellington Avenue, Suite 600  
New York City, New York  
  
Kimberly tapped the end of her pen against the desktop while she studied the new plans. "I'm not sure I like putting Gucci stuff with the Armani designs. They are too similar in product to be of much effect. Let's see if we can put someone else in between them. Maybe someone with color?"  
  
"How about Calvin Klein? Maybe he'll put nude young boys in again." Jeffery suggested with a wide grin that made Kimberly laugh.  
  
"Yeah, you wish." Patty gave him a gentle shove. "Try the Donna Karens."  
  
"That might work." Kimberly rubbed her eyes then groaned knowing that her eye makeup was now permanently damaged. "What time is it?"  
  
"Ten to five, we pulling over time?" Pat said with a quick glance at her watch.   
  
"I can't," Kimberly sighed and sat down. "I carpooled in this morning."  
  
"Really?" Jeff grinned at her. "Who was your carpool mate?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Eyeing him suspiciously since he had the look in his eyes Rocky has when he's getting ready to make trouble for her.  
  
"I happened to have spotted the very sweet SUV you got out of this morning, with a honey of a guy behind the wheel that didn't seem especially in a hurry to let go of your lips."   
  
She wanted to crawl under the table and hide. "You're kidding right?"  
  
"Nope." He leaned forward, always looking for good gossip. "Who is the hunk?"  
  
"Jeff," Pat said with mocking seriousness. "It's no wonder the girls down in the copy room thinks your gay."  
  
"Who says I'm not?"   
  
"Your girlfriend, Brenda." Pat pointed out.  
  
Jeff laughed. "Well, Kim? Don't think you can duck out of this one so soon."  
  
Knowing that she wasn't going to be able to duck out, she sighed and resigned herself to be next week's gossip news. "He's name is Tommy and we're seeing each other."  
  
"More like eating each out." Jeff laughed. "How long?"  
  
"Not that long," considering they hadn't seen each other in years now.  
  
"Yeah, right!" Jeff was on a roll now. "They way you guys were all touching and kissing, I would say a whole lot longer than that."  
  
"And for what reason do you have not to believe me?"  
  
"For the simple reason that you are a terrible liar."  
  
Kimberly sighed. "Yeah but most people are kind enough not to point it out."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
Denver International Airport  
Denver, Colorado  
  
"Got the tickets?" Jason asked as they hurried toward the boarding gate.  
  
"Got it!" Trini held them up aloft and tried to pull the straps of her carry on at the same time. "I hope we make it."  
  
"Who knew they would have traffic at two in the afternoon?" Jason complained as he helped Trini with her luggage.   
  
"It could be worse."  
  
"How?"  
  
"We could have Rocky's bad sense of timing."  
  
"Oh please don't jinx us, Trini. I have enough of a headache for now."  
  
She laughed and leaned over briefly to kiss his cheek with a quick friendly gesture that was totally natural. "Okay, I won't. And don't worry, we'll make it."  
  
"But we don't have time to call Tommy now." Glancing quickly at his watch. "I really don't want him to be waiting at the airport only to not have us show up as we were suppose to."  
  
"We'll call when we land. Tommy has a cell phone, doesn't he?"  
  
"Yeah," Jason looked over at her. "You're the only freak of nature that doesn't carry a phone around."  
  
"And have people able to track and reach me at all hours of the day. No way!" She made a face. "You don't know what some of the clients I had were like."  
  
Jason shook his head and then spotted the gate. "There it is."  
  
"Oh!" She hurried over and handed the man at the gate their tickets. "Did we make it?"  
  
"Just in time," the man handed them the stub. "This way, I'll take you right to your seats."  
  
"Thanks," she breathed a sigh of relief. "See, I told you."  
  
Jason rolled his eyes and followed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Tommy, put that down. You have to drive later." Kimberly grabbed the bottle of white wine from Tommy's hand.   
  
"You can drive if you don't drink." He pointed out logically.  
  
"We can't fit everything in my little car." Kim topped the bottle. "And Adam, shouldn't you be discouraging them from drinking? You're the doctor after all."  
  
"I will only discourage them from doing so when they stop providing me with 25 year old Scotch that is to die for!" Adam sighed and leaned back. "Man, that was good."  
  
"Thank god for take outs!" Rocky said as he too poured himself some wine.   
  
"Relax, Kim." Tommy said taking the bottle from her. "You can drive my car."  
  
"Speaking of your car," Kimberly sat back and watched the men enjoy their after dinner drink. "You were spotted out side my building this morning. I'm going to be the office news for a while. They think you're a hunk and a half."  
  
"Really?" his brows rose in inquiry. "And what do you think?"  
  
"I think that I need to find something else for my co-workers to talk about come Monday morning." She leaned against him and smiled with contentment.   
  
The evening had been spent rather nicely with just the four friends at the dinner table and conversation ranged from the currently status of the stock market to the new prevention drug on AIDS. Rocky had entertained them with various stories of crazy politicians, Tommy had given stock tips for months to come, Adam had cooked the meal and Kimberly had thoroughly enjoyed herself as she's not done in a long while. Her life was perfect at the exact moment. She had her lover and her friends around her to give her comfort and a new appreciation for life.  
  
"Hey, Kim." Rocky put his glass down. "Did you want some dessert? I picked up some Mocha Chocolate Death ice cream this afternoon."  
  
"Oh, you are a horrible person, Rocky Descantos. You have any idea who many calories are in those things?" She made a face but nodded her head quickly. "Give me double helpings."  
  
Tommy kissed the top of her head with a grin. "That's my girl! Always on the lookout for ways to put some meat on her bones."  
  
"That's because I was cursed with a skinny ass." She smiled and got up to help Rocky with the ice cream.  
  
"Looks fine to be," turning his head to look.  
  
Kimberly laughed and grabbed a cushion from the nearby chair and threw it at him. The phone rang just as they were half way across the room.  
  
Adam was too tired to pick up the phone so he simply reached over and hit the speakerphone. "Adam's House of Horrors."  
  
"Really? Cause you know, I distinctly remembered signing the deed to that place."   
  
"Jason!" Adam laughed and put his glass down. "I was just thinking of you."  
  
"How sweet!" Jason laughed. "As I recall, the last time you were just thinking of me, you wanted to move into my house. I hate to think what you want now."  
  
"Jason, I'm wounded."  
  
"Only in the head." The background noise was making it real hard for him to hear all of what's being said. "Hey, is Tommy still there?"  
  
"I'm right here, Buddy. Don't worry, ten-thirty, terminal three. I'll be there with a comfortable car for you and Trini to ride in style." Tommy said with a grin.  
  
"Change of plans, Tommy." Jason reached behind him to grabbed Trini before she fell over into the rotating luggage claim. "Trini, be careful."  
  
Trini grunted at him. "If you'd get off the phone and help me I won't have been at risk."  
  
"Take a deep breath and wait a second."  
  
The little party at Jason's laughed at the exchange. "If you two are busy..."  
  
"Shut up, Rocky." Trini said with a quick smile for Jason as he pulled her trunk free. "Listen, you guys will not believe where we are right now."  
  
Rocky grinned and made a dramatic pose. "Let me guess, you're off to somewhere wonderfully exotic and romantic just two best friends out looking for young men and women to pick up."  
  
Trini giggled. "Close."  
  
Rocky laughed. "Somewhere where there is lots of sun, sand and beautiful women?"  
  
"The sun and sand part if close."  
  
"Hum...what's near Denver?"   
  
Tommy shook his head and played along. "Lake Tahoe."   
  
"Nope," she pointed to a smaller bag that contained her documents and briefs for the current case. "Try again."  
  
Kimberly closed her eyes and pictured the map. "Yellowstone National Park."  
  
"Sorry, try again." She handed phone to Jason and quickly explained the game being played here whiling leaning in to hear.  
  
Adam rolled his eyes at all this. "What's the big deal about where you guys are when you're suppose to be here in an hour's time? Unless you two decided to be real adventurous, not to mention stupid, and run off to Las Vegas or something?" Completely sarcastic.   
  
Trini and Jason exchanged startled glanced, not knowing what to say.  
  
After a few moments, the silence, minus the loud crowd in the background, became unnerving. "Trini? Jason?" Adam's lost his smile. "Please tell me that I'm wrong."  
  
Trini chocked on her amusement, while Jason hastily suppressed his burst of laughter "Adam, sometimes you are way too perspective that you're scary."  
  
There was dead silence, then..."WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING IN VEGAS?!?!?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from next chapter: "You're telling me that you'd go to Vegas without me?"  



	24. Little Words

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Hanspam, StarryNight, and Priscilla, you guys are the best there is around. Thank you all for all the encouraging words and for making me want to write more everyday. Smile!  
  
Note: Everyone needs a hobby and mine just happens to be one that I share with the rest of the internet.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Four  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
There was dead silence, then..."WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING IN VEGAS?!?!?"  
  
Jason grinned widely at Trini. "Well, it's actually at really funny story."  
  
Kim stood there with her mouth just hanging slightly open. "No kidding! Jason if you've dragged Trini off for some..."  
  
"Please tell me this is a joke." Tommy said with a frown. "Cause the only reason people make unscheduled stops at Vegas is to get loud stinking drunk due to depression or to get hitched to the most inappropriate of peoples. And since you two are young and single, not to mention without significant others at the moment..."  
  
"Relax Tommy," Trini called into the phone. "We can explain everything to your satisfaction but not now. We're scheduled to check in at the hotel soon."  
  
Jason nodded his agreement. "We'll call you after we've checked in. Bye."   
  
"Jason..." But he clicked off before anyone else could get a word in edge wise.   
  
The four friends stared at the now dead phone with a sense of complete and absolute disbelief.  
  
"You don't think that the two of them are going to..." Rocky shook his head, his eyes still on the now beeping phone. "Adam, turn it off."  
  
"No way." Adam shook his head though he had his doubts. "I mean, the two of them are far too sensible to do something so....so.....so....."  
  
"Stupid?" Kimberly offered as she took a seat with a shake of her head. "No, they won't. Trini won't do something so... unsensible."  
  
"So, what are they doing in Sin City?" Tommy frowned, his mind trying to wrap itself around the idea.  
  
"Well," Adam sighed and leaned back again. "Trini did say that she would have a good explanation for us when they call back. I mean, she's always been so responsible and steadfast in everything she did. And Jason is ever the rock in the middle of the ocean of trouble we've been in." Yet he couldn't quite shake the feeling of unease.  
  
"Yeah," Rocky nodded as he reasoned it out in his head. "I'm sure it has something to do with their work or something. There's no other reason that they'd be there together."  
  
Kimberly sighed, glad that they were working out the problems in their heads. "Besides, Trini would never go there without me. She promised that we'd do one of those all-girl weekend trips to somewhere fun once Aisha and Tanya could ever get time off from their crazy schedules."  
  
Tommy looked at Kimberly a little insulted. "You're telling me that you'd go to Vegas without me?"  
  
She grinned.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Mr. Scott and Ms. Kwan," Jeremy Stewart Davis has never been so happy to see two people in his life than at the exact moment. "Am I glad that you're here."   
  
Trini nodded her head before shaking hands with the obviously agitated man. "Mr. Davis. As I understand from the file I was given yesterday that the hotel is on an expansion problem? And that the architectural and construction company are crooks?"  
  
"Yeah, that's the jest of it." He shook his head. "Leidford and Roberts were contracted to create an expansion of the Venetian and were contracted to build the extension. As far as we know, they were working on the project fine but the books were off." He glanced at the luggage that the bellboy brought into the office. "Oh I'm sorry. The two of you are probably tired from your trip."  
  
"That's okay." Jason grabbed his briefcase from next to his foot and brought out a file. "Now, I know that the firm that handled the designs convinced you that the cost would be a fifteen million dollar deal."  
  
"Yes, that was what we were assure of." Davis shook his head. "The accounting department was thrilled with it."  
  
"I'm sure they would be had it been true." Jason looked over the numbers with a quick expert eye. "But with the kind of project we're looking at, that kind of money would never have covered more than the foundational structure construction."  
  
Davis sighed. "We know that now."  
  
Trini nodded her head. "Okay, from what I understand, they tricked you and used below cost, off the books material that turned out not to safe."  
  
"Yes," Davis pulled open the top drawer and stacked several files on this desk before pushing it toward the two. "From everything that has been investigated, the material is no where near standards and we need to be able to..." He frowned. "We would like this taken care of immediately. The contraction will be held until we get this all cleared." He turned to Jason with a critical eye, noting this general youth. "Mr. Scott, I understand that you have some experience in large scale construction designs."  
  
"You can say that." Jason really wasn't paying much attention to the man as he looked over the spectrograph of the concrete structure. "Shit, what the hell were they doing?" He muttered under his breath.  
  
"And you'll take over the project?" Davis could see that the man was too absorbed into what was happening now. That was a good sign.  
  
"Looks like." Jason sighed and shook his head. He hate people that did sloppy jobs. "Okay, I want to see everything you have on the construction company, the architectural firm and the actual construction material and progress."  
  
Trini nodded her head in agreement. "And I want all the contracts and initial projection plus all the court petitions and notices."  
  
"I'll have it for you as soon as I can." He looked out the glass the door to his office. "You will both be staying within the hotel of course on our bill. Anything you need, go right ahead and use. Just sign for it and it'll be charged to the company."  
  
Trini smiled tiredly. "Thanks. We'll need adjoining rooms so for easier conference on this. Plus, we'll need cars to get to the courthouse and the site."  
  
Jason stood up slowly. "I'll need an easel and drawing board. She'll need a fax machine and long distance phone line privileges."  
  
"Done." He picked up the set of siding key cards. "There is a problem though. This next two weeks are the Internet Exhibition. Every high-tech freak that can afford to come and have the time to is here. Which means that we're filled the brim. I don't have adjoining rooms; I don't even have two on the same floor even. So...I've put the two of you in the same suit. It's fairly large and has two queen beds, two levels and plenty of space for you to work with." He looked between the two as they exchanged concern glances. "If this is a problem, I can put the two of you in different rooms but they'd have to be on different floors though. I know that it could be an inconvenience but...."  
  
"Don't worry about it." Jason shook his head. "Trini and I are friends, we can stay in the same room without a problem."  
  
"Thank you. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and I'll have a car and driver ready for the both of you whenever you want. Just call the front desk before you come down. Here, room 1156."  
  
Trini took the keys from him with a reassuring smile for him. "Thanks."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Flopping down face first on the bed, Trini groaned as her aching muscles screamed at her to get up and into the showers. "I hate this."  
  
"Me too." Jason sat down next to her and rubbed her shoulders. "But we need to get to work."  
  
"I need a shower first." She mumbled into the bedding. "And I need food."  
  
"I'll call room service while you shower."  
  
"We need to call the gang first."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Jason made no move to get up and reach for the phone. Instead, he laid down on his side facing her. "I would rather make love to you right now."  
  
Trini didn't turn but held her breath for a moment. Relax, just a cliché term for sex, that's all there is to it. She forced a smile and turned to him. "Well, that is one way to put me in a relaxing mood."  
  
He did not smile, which bothered her, as he continued to study her face. You're so beautifully alive that it hurts to just look at you. "We have all weekend to work on this stuff. What do you way we take a quick shower, grab a bit to eat and go sight seeing for a bit?"  
  
She grinned. "Can we do a little shopping too? I need to get some underclothes since I'm not about to ask them to launder my underwear and bra and I'm all out."  
  
"I'm sure the Forum at Ceaser's Palace has a Victoria Secret or something to that effect." Jason said helping her up from the bed."  
  
"Hum... then maybe I pick up something nice too on my way." She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know, a good power ranger and environmentalist would be a good little inhabitant and help the local desert by saving water."  
  
He looked at her with amused eyes. "In other words, we should have quick showers."  
  
"Or," she began to unbutton his shirt. "We can shower together and save water that way."  
  
"Hum... I do believe that is an even better idea that mine." He kissed her lips and grabbed her hands. "Let's go."  
  
"Wait," she pulled on his arm. "We have to call New Jersey."  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay," Kimberly shook her head. "Again at half speed Trini."  
  
The other girl laughed. "Okay. Mr. Boyle got called on a law suit against a design firm that apparently have been skimming off the books and using cheap hazardous plans to build the addition to the resort. With me so close to Nevada as is, he just decided to hand me the case."  
  
Jason peeped in then. "Apparently, Mr. Davis asked for a recommendation on a firm that could handle the technical side of this little problem as well as design a scheme that would actually work for the resort. So Mr. Boyle naturally recommended Miller and Hoffman Architectural as the firm to go with."  
  
"Right," Trini could hear Adam in the background with his assortment of medical supplies being shuffled through. "So since Jason was already out here with me, they decided to send him too. That's how we ended up in Vegas together."  
  
"And in the same room due to the Internet Expo that's being held this week." Jason added without thought.  
  
"Same room?" Adam asked with great amusement. "Really now?"  
  
"Shut up Adam," Trini said with a laugh. "I'd only have to worry if Rocky was around."  
  
"Hey, I resent that." Rocky said with a grin. "I would only put a move on a woman that's too far gone to remember anything. And you don't drink enough for that."  
  
"That's certainly reassures me." Trini shook her head. "Anyways, looks like we may be stuck here for a while."  
  
"Anything we can do?" Kimberly asked with concern.  
  
"Yeah, feed my fishes. I want them alive when I get back." Trini said with a grin for Jason who vividly remembered Kimberly's pet plants that she couldn't keep alive.   
  
"Got it."   
  
"And someone called the construction people and have them turn the gazebo back." Jason added.  
  
"You really are going to do it?" Tommy asked with some interest.  
  
"Yeah, it's too humid there for a steam room and I don't particularly like the sauna." Jason sighed. "Besides, half the time, the house feels like one alreadyunless we turn on the AC. With a gazebo, we can put in a nice hot tub or Jacuzzi."  
  
"Now that sounds like a plan." Rocky commented enthusiastically.   
  
"No wild orgies in it Rocky." Jason warned mockingly.  
  
"Darn!" Rocky snapped his finger with a grin.  
  
"Hey, Tommy!"  
  
"Yeah, Trini?"  
  
"Make sure Kim eats her breakfast okay?"  
  
"Now why would you think that I can make her do anything much less be around so early in the morning to do so?" Tommy asked, mildly curious, mildly amused.   
  
"Oh please, if you haven't been sleeping over every night since I left I'd think there was something wrong with you." Trini rolled his eyes and Jason laughed.  
  
Tommy sighed with resignation. "You little..."  
  
"Bitch!" Kim finished with a laugh.  
  
"Takes one to know one, girlfriend!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 16, 2004  
The Las Vegas Strip  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Oh my god!" Trini watched with wonder as the fountain of Ballagio lit up with lights and the water hoses danced to the music of Andrea Bocelli's "Nel Cuore Lei." She was too absorbed by the beautiful water dance to notice the song as the heartfelt song rang through the streets in front of the magnificent hotel.   
  
The several semesters of Italian in college followed by a year abroad in Italy to study architecture had Jason listening to the song with profound interest. It touched him more than he was willing to admit and describe his feelings at the moment rather well as he continued to gaze at the beautiful woman by his side. Her sheer enjoyment of the simple entertainment like the outdoor fountain was breathtakingly sweet and endearing.   
  
"Isn't it beautiful?" She asked, not taking her eyes away from the glistening water.  
  
He continued to gaze at her. "Beautiful."  
  
Se  
Conosci già l'amore  
Che vuole lei  
Tu saprai che dovrai  
Dare Tutto Quel che hai  
A lei  
Ti legherai finchè vivrai, a lei...  
  
Ti prenderà il cuore  
Ti vincerà  
Lei sarà la tua strada  
Che non puoi lasciare mai  
A lei  
Ti legherai finchè vivrai, a lei...  
  
E non c'è niente come lei  
E non c'è niente da capire  
E' tutta lì  
La sua grandezza  
In quella leggerezza  
Che solo lei ti dà  
  
Sarà così e poi  
Sara di più  
L'amerai...l'amerai  
Perchè tu ci crederai  
A lei  
Ti legherai finchè vivrai, a lei...  
  
E non c'è niente come lei  
E non c'è niente da capire  
Lei è così  
Puoi solo dire  
Che più ti fa soffrire  
Più ancora l'amerai  
  
Finchè tu vorrai scoprire  
Dentro un brivido che dà  
Il segreto della sua eternità  
  
A lei  
Regalerai  
Quello che resterà  
Del tuo tempo che verrà  
A lei  
Ti legherai, per sempre avrai  
Nel cuore lei...  
  
(If  
You already know  
The love she wants  
You'll know  
You have to give everything, all of it  
To her  
You'll become as one, with her, forever  
  
She'll touch your heart  
She'll win your heart  
She'll be your path  
That leads to what you lacked, the path  
To her  
You'll become as one, with her, forever  
  
And nothing can compare with her  
There's really nothing to understand  
It's just the secret of  
Her greatness  
The sheer joy  
That she alone can give  
  
And that's who, now, it will always be  
Until it becomes even more  
You'll love her, oh how you'll love her  
Because you trust yourself to her  
To her  
You'll become as one, with her, forever  
  
And nothing can compare with her  
There's really nothing to understand  
That's just the way she is  
All you'll know for sure  
Is the more she makes you suffer  
The more you find you love her  
Until at last that dawning  
That in the thrill she alone can give  
Lies the secret of her eternity  
  
To her  
You'll gladly give  
All that's left  
Of the time you've still to come  
To her  
You're as one, with her, forever  
And she'll be there, in your heart)  
  
"Wasn't that wonderful?" Trini asked, turning her smiling face toward him. She hadn't look this alive since they left New Jersey.  
  
"Yeah, we should catch it again before we leave." Jason suggested as he tucked her arm into his. "In the mean time, I think it's getting late and we need to get some sleep. We need this weekend to start this case so that we can move on it Monday morning when the court and site opens up for business and we can fix some of the mess the previous company made."  
  
"The Venetian has a good civil lawsuit on its hands." Trini said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I think I'm going to talk to Davis about bring it up while I try to clean up the legal obligation that Venetian has to the firm that they contracted to begin with."  
  
"Is there going to be problems?" Jason asked, as they strolled over the bridge toward Caesar's palace again. "By the way, what did you buy at Victoria's Secrets that took you so long?"  
  
She smiled rather mischievously. "If you're real good, Mr. Scott. I just may let you see."  
  
"Is that a promise?" He asked, his arm bringing her closer to him.   
  
She laughed and wrapped both her arms around his waist in comfort and sighed with contentment. She's never been so at peace like this before, even with a possibly ugly trial looming on the horizon. Jason had insisted that they not stay in the hotel for dinner, since he's had his share of hotel food for a while and was likely to have to eat a lot more of it in the near future, and they headed toward the buffet at Caesar's Palace which served up a dish made for an emperor.   
  
They had then visited The Forum Shops in search for something else to wear other than the suits they had brought to Denver with them and which are currently being laundered by the Venetian hotel staff. Trini picked up two more suits from Anne Taylor plus a wonderfully soft silk blouse from Versaci while Jason grabbed a blue Armani and a charcoal gray Gucci with three new ties and two belts. And while Trini took her time in Victoria's Secrets, Jason had picked up a wonderful Mickey Mouse doll dressed in Roman regalia from the Disney Story for her.   
  
They then decided to walk over to the Ballagio to see the water fountain they've heard so much about. It was well worth the crowds they had to juggle along through to get there.   
  
"Remind me to get a copy of that CD before we leave. I love Andrea Bocelli." Trini said as she shifted her garment bag. "What did you think of the song?"  
  
"I thought it was rather appropriate."  
  
"Huh?" Distracted by the strange statue of Sigfried and Roy by the Mirage.   
  
"Nothing."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"I think I may need another shower before we..." She never got to finish the sentence as Jason caught her from behind after hanging up their new purchases and stealing the breath right out of her.  
  
He backed her toward the bed, where he had every intention of spending the night there with her as he had dreamed of doing all night long as they stroll along the famous Las Vegas Strip. His hands closed over curves that were made to be held by him. He touched the sweet apple cider she had with dinner earlier and the wonderful taste that was hers alone.  
  
Jason made love to her as he had dreamt of doing all week long as they spend night after night holding each other in bed, unconsciously acknowledging the wonderful contentment and peace neither one has ever had with anyone else before. Over the past week, somewhere in his mind, he had worked out something that had been so elusive before. The clarity of it had come to him as he stood there in front of the water fountain watching the wonderment in her face as she smiled with pleasure over the water dance.   
  
And as he felt their passion rise to meet each other, he whispered the words that she feared most from a man, though some women waited all their lives to hear. "I love you." And changed their relationship forever.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Contrary to what you may believe, I do know about Monte Carlo?"  
  
Read Chapter two of "A Touch of Love" for the continued scene with Jason and Trini! 


	25. Less than comfortable

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: StarryNights and The Girl in the Red Jacket. You guys are always so wonderfully supportive and I don't think I would be writing without people like you to egg me on. Thanks guys for everything.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Five  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 17, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Brrriiiinnnngggg....."  
  
Rocky reached over on to the nightstand and patted around for the phone. It took him a moment but he finally got it after dropping it twice. With eyes still half closed, he mumbled, "Hello?"  
  
"Oh , sorry. Did I wake you?" Billy said not the least bit sorry but said it out of polite habit.  
  
"No, no," Rocky squinted at the glow in the dark face of the clock. "I'm always up at four in the morning on a Saturday when I don't have to go in for work."  
  
"Good." Billy shifted his phone over his shoulder. He had packed his head set on his portable telephone away already. "Listen, I'm going to head home to California for a little while to see Zack and my folks before I come back here for a little more arrangements and head out toward you guys."  
  
"That sounds great." Rocky rubbed his eyes, trying to think clearly. The eight hours spent trying to dig up more materials on the alleged misconduct of a New York state senator had sapped all his energy from the day before. Hitting the sheets only two hours before certainly didn't help his alertness.  
  
"Aisha called the other day."  
  
That got his attention fast. "What did she say?"  
  
"Coming in for a week soon."  
  
"New Jersey?"  
  
"Maybe," he teased with a grin knowing the slight tension and attraction between his two friends. "Ask her to stay this time."  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.   
  
"Rocky," he sighed. "Contrary to what you may believe, I do know about Monte Carlo?"  
  
Rocky groaned. "How did you find out?"  
  
"Adam passed it along when I made a slight comment that sent Aisha into a fit of coughs." Billy scratched his head. He should probably shower soon.  
  
"It was one night." Rocky said with a sigh. He really never had any regret over it.   
  
"And one hell of a birthday present." Billy commented. Rocky and taken Aisha to Monte Carlo for her 21st birthday where they had spent a rather interesting night from everything Billy heard.   
  
"It was never meant to..."  
  
"I'm teasing, Rocky. I know." Billy looked at his clock. "Go back to bed, Rocky. We'll talk later when you're more up to your game."  
  
"Okay, good night." Rocky hung up the phone and lie back down staring at the ceiling. How the heck does Billy expect me to sleep now that he's put that particular memory back in my head?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 17, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Tommy crept down stairs quietly, unwilling to wake Kimberly up for this. Grabbing his phone from where he had clipped in on to his belt still attached to his pants where he had left downstairs on the couch last night, he search through for the right number.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Kat." He said softly.  
  
"Hello, Tommy." She smiled, knowing that he would call but not all together sure he remembered. "Happy Anniversary."  
  
He sighed and sat down. "Hardly something to celebrate."   
  
"Yes, I know. Aisha, Tanya and Billy sent flowers." Kat said looking at the white roses on her kitchen table. "They were very thoughtful."  
  
"How are you holding up?" Tommy asked, his eyes on the six tropical fishes in the tank.   
  
"It gets a little easier every year." Kat said quietly. "How about you?"  
  
"I miss the child we could have had." Tommy admitted.  
  
"I'm sorry."   
  
"Not your fault." He sighed and leaned his head back. "Did you ever think that when we found out, it was a sign of some sort?"  
  
Kat smiled, understanding him almost too perfectly. "We were drifting apart. Then boom, a baby."  
  
"I thought it was a sign that we were meant to be together."  
  
"As did I."  
  
"And then the miscarriage."  
  
"A sign that we weren't."  
  
"Pushed us along the path of the break up."  
  
"Yes it did." Kat took a deep breath. "We both knew it was coming."  
  
"Yeah we did." Tommy nodded to himself. "I guess we were both so use to being together that not being together seemed..."  
  
"Odd." She finished for him.  
  
"Yes." He smiled rather ruthful. "I'm glad that we're still friends."  
  
"And we always will be."  
  
"Happy Anniversary, Kat."  
  
"Happy Anniversary, Tommy."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 17, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
Trini shifted slowly in her sleep until she surfaced to the waking word. The words of the night before rang in her head louder than any alarm clock could have. "I love you." The three little words that some women would kill to hear from their lovers, now it sends Trini's perfectly happy world crashing to the ground. Damn it, Jason. Things were going so good for us. Why did you have to...  
  
She took a deep breath and secretly admitted to herself that the words had brought a small spark of delight until it sank in and was quickly followed by the gut drenching sensation of dread. She needed time to think, to absorb everything, and find a way out of this mess she's once again gotten herself into. Trini, you swore to yourself that you'd never put yourself in this situation again. How in the world.... Jason is a friend. A great sex partner, yes, but he was a friend first and foremost. Got to get some perspective!   
  
Moving slowly, she tried to get out from under the arm that was draped over her waist in comfort. Unfortunately for her, Jason was a true morning person through and through and the lightest sleeper she's ever meet. His arm tightened suddenly; bring her back against his chest.   
  
Jason had been awake for some time now, simply watching her in the dim light of the room. She had been peaceful after their intense love making last night. He wasn't even sure she heard him speak at the end. A part of him wanted her to, to know how he felt, how he came to understand what was missing all along. But another part of him, the part that knew of her fears and anxieties, the part that wanted to protect her and not give any distress of any kind, regretted knowing that she would not react to it as most woman would.   
  
He leaned up on his elbow, brought her close as she tried to move again, and kissed her ear. When she struggled to get out from under him, he knew that she had heard.  
  
Pinning her down, he leaned over her, simply watching her eyes before reciting something he had long memorized by heart.   
  
"She walks in beauty, like the night  
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;  
And all that's best of dark and bright  
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:  
Thus mellow'd to that tender light  
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.  
  
One shade the more, one ray the less,  
Had half impair'd the nameless grace  
Which waves in every raven tress,  
Or softly lightens o'er her face;  
Where thoughts serenely sweet express  
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.  
  
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,  
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,  
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,  
But tell of days in goodness spent,  
A mind at peace with all below,  
A heart whose love is innocent!"  
  
She was touched, truly touched by something so simply beautiful. "Lord Byron's 'She Walks in Beauty.'"  
  
Jason smiled. "You know it."  
  
"I heard it once in poetry class many years ago." Her eyes were soft now, filled with uncertainty.  
  
He sighed and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "I take it that you heard me last night."  
  
"Jason..." She started, wanting to give him an out. Something that would allow both of them retreat.   
  
But he had other ideas. "No, don't speak." He placed two fingers on her lips. "Whatever you were going to say would have probably pissed the hell out of me and I don't want that this morning, especially since we have a hell lot of things to do." He kissed her cheek. "I meant it."  
  
She shook her head trying to dislodge the fingers.  
  
"No, no, don't say anything. Just listen to me." He shifted slightly so not to crush her beneath him. "I know that this isn't what you had thought about or want when we began this little torrid affair of ours. But this is what happens when you mix an emotion as potent as sex with emotions as deep as a life-long friendship. I love you and I want to be with you in every way that counts. I know that you think that I'm going to turn all stalker on you, and with your experience who would blame you. But you know me, Trini. You know ME! And more importantly, I know you. I know that you're strong and brave, and can probably kick my ass. You aren't the damsel in distress type that needs someone to come along on a white charger and rescue you. I know that you can take care of yourself perfectly fine, and that you can live without me in your life."  
  
She felt her heart contract.   
  
"But I don't want to live without you in mine." He kissed her lips. "I like the feeling of waking up with you in my arms. I like being about to lie in bed and talk to you about everything. I like working with you in the next room typing away on your laptop like the world could end and you won't care about anything but what is being said in that document you're working on. I like sharing my thoughts and ideas with you and having intelligent feedback. I like having you around. I like that you are yourself when you're with me cause it's everything that makes you the person you are that I love so much. From your fears to your strengths." He looked her in the eyes, seeing the uncertainty there again. "I love everything there is to you. I love you. Not some imagined idealistic view of you. You!"  
  
"Jason," she shook her head to clear something things up in her own mind. His words, they were so simple yet filled with so much meaning that it hurt her in some deep level that she didn't quite understand. "I'm not good at this stuff."  
  
"Stuff?"  
  
"Relationships. I'm not good in them or around them. I always... I can never seem to...." Her eyes were filled with fear. "I'm so scared that I'll lose you, not as a lover but as a friend. I don't know if I can stand not having you around. You're like..."  
  
He smiled rather sadly for her fears. "You will never be able to get rid of me as your friend. You and me, we've been friends for so long that I don't think that I would know what to do without you. I merely want to take it one step further."  
  
She was having trouble. "I'm scared."  
  
"I know, I can see it in your eyes." He kissed her again, that soft feathery touch on her lips that sent shivers down her spine. "But I noticed that you aren't rejecting the idea, which tells me that you have some deeper emotions for me than just this friendship that you claim."  
  
Trini felt her heart wrench dangerously. He was right, through it all, she had never once thought about rejecting this love he is giving her. "I just don't know if I can return this feeling that you want to give me."  
  
"I know that when you feel it, you will." Jason rolled slowly on his side. "I'm not too sure that you're not already half way there now."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Trini," he smiled at her with that sage grin he use to use as the leader of the Power Rangers. "Don't tell me that you haven't noticed the patterns that we've somehow picked up so quickly in this past weeks? We've gotten a lot closer that either one of us is willing to believe."  
  
She frowned at him. "And you worked all this out when?"  
  
"Last night."  
  
"Last night?"  
  
"Yeah, by the fountain in the moonlight."   
  
Trini gave him a blank look.   
  
He leaned over and planted another kiss on her slack lips. "We'll talk more on this at a later time. Right now, you're in reactionary mode and anything meaningful to come out of your mouth may be spur of the moment and could have the definite possibility of breaking my heart, even if you don't mean to. Just know that I love you and I don't expect anything from you other than an acknowledgement that you know. Now, how about breakfast?"  
  
With that, he got up from the bed leaving her to muddle through her own emotions as if he hadn't just through her for a loop of a lifetime.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 17, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Kimberly watched him hung up the phone, the quiet conversation so full of sadness that her own heart ached for them both. Aisha had told her about the miscarriage and what it did to Tommy and Kat's relationship. She had been so full of guilt at the time, happy that the two of them were no longer together but sad that a baby had to have been lost in the process.   
  
"How long have you been standing there?" Tommy asked finally sensing her presence now that his mind was off the child that could have been.  
  
"Too long." She said quietly as she came around the couch. "I had forgotten what day it was." She wrapped her arms around him, his broad shoulders were warm to her touch. "You all right?"  
  
He smiled rather sadly at her. His eyes reflecting back something infinitely sad and painful. "It does get easier with the years. I sometimes don't think of it for weeks on end then..."  
  
"A laughter in the park or a crying in the next car," she smiled and leaned her head against his. "I'm sorry."  
  
Tommy shook his head. "I've done by grieving already. Life goes on."  
  
"But you never forget, nor should you."  
  
"No, you never forget." He sighed and pulled her tight into his arms. "But you learn to live with it. And pray that one else is watching out for him now."  
  
"They are, you know that they are." She smiled. "Or at least Zordon is."  
  
He kissed her temple. "I love you, Kim."  
  
"Right back at you, Tommy."  
  
They sat there for a long time, remembering the past that was and could have been. But there was no sadness in this reminiscence for they know that where they are now was good. And it's going to stay that way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 17, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Adam yawned and shook his head to clear it. It was almost eleven o'clock in the morning and he was just getting home from working a power shift at the hospital. He was going to need a good twelve hours to recover from this one.  
  
"Good morning." Rocky said as he watched his friend stepped through the door. "Can I get you anything before you drop dead?"  
  
"You're up?" Adam raised one brow at him. Rocky was notorious for sleeping in until almost one or two in the afternoon during the weekends. "Something happened?"  
  
"Yeah, Billy Cranston." Rocky sighed. "Called me up at four and I haven't been able to get back in bed since."  
  
"Ouch, I'm sorry." Adam took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Take a nap later. It might be considered uncool but it's good for you if you're feeling rather run down later. In the meantime, I really do need to sleep some of this off."  
  
"Go, sleep. I'll hold down the fort."  
  
"Thanks." Adam nodded his head but stopped when he reached the door. "You okay, buddy?"  
  
"Just remembering some things." Rocky answered with a smile. "Go to bed."  
  
"What kind of things?"  
  
"Old friends."  
  
"Like..."  
  
Rocky looked at him. "Billy said that Aisha and Tanya are hitting town soon."  
  
Adam grinned. "Thinking about another trip to Monte Carlo?"  
  
"I can't believe I told you and you turned around and told Billy."   
  
"It slipped out." Adam rolled his eyes. "Besides, Billy isn't one to blab. And you didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"No, but it's kind of embarrassing."  
  
"Really?" Adam frowned. "Why?"  
  
"It's just that...." He couldn't really explain it. "Never mind. I don't know what I'm saying any more and I... Oh go to bed. You're confusing me."  
  
Adam shrugged and promised himself that he'd inquire after this more when he's brain wasn't fill with mush. "Okay, I'll be upstairs if you need me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 17, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Thanks for pulling over time guys," Trini said in to the phone. "I'm still going to need the documents before I move on this. Get accounting to go through the invoice was the fine tooth comb. But I need to be able to read and understand it in less than an hour please."  
  
"Anything else?" Brandon asked as he quickly jotted down more notes. A team of lawyers have been there all morning and most of the afternoon handling the Vegas case. Trini had been on top of the thing from the beginning but she needed people to take care of the usual paper work and to follow up on the trials that would help,  
  
"Yeah, I going to need all the notices that was filed in court before and after the signing of the contracts. Then everything that was done after a new vendor was brought it. Mr. Scott and I will hit the courthouse the minute they open on Monday. We'll need certified copies of all the originals. All I've got now are service copies."  
  
"We'll get on it. I've got six people working on the contact now."  
  
"Let's hope we can get this wrapped up as quickly as possible and passing the ball cause I don't plan on having to deal with this for the next year or so."  
  
"Civil suit?"  
  
"We don't know yet. The heads aren't talking right now. They just want this problem gone."  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me." Brandon handed a quick note to his secretary. "Okay, we'll get on this. Good luck on your end."  
  
"Thanks, I'll see you when the smoke has cleared."  
  
He laughed. "See ya."  
  
Trini sighed and set the phone down. They were going to be in trouble if she can't prove negligence. The case was likely to drag on for sometime. She could lay the foundation work now but Venetian would be better served to have a local firm handle thing for them.  
  
She jumped when Jason's big warm hands fell on her shoulders.  
  
"Relax," he whispered to her as he worked slowly on the tightened muscles in her shoulders. "I'm just going to work some of these knots out." He had watched her all morning, tense from the stress and pressure she was getting. She had avoided talking to him all day, they may both have lots of work to occupy their time, but she was very methodical in her avoidance. He guessed that the earlier conversation still had her rather jumpy. "I am not going to jump you."   
  
Trini smiled, amused despite of herself, before turning around suddenly and forcing Jason to fall back. "Too bad I can't say the same thing."  
  
Jason grinned at her. "Really? Well, that would be one way to relax you a little since the message doesn't seem to be doing it."  
  
"Oh, I don't mind your hands on me, I just want to be touching you back." She leaned down and captured his lips in a scorching hot kiss. "How about a nice hot shower together?"  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
"It's the middle of the afternoon."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Want me work on that muscle some more first?"  
  
"No," she kissed him. "I think I know a much better way of working out the work-kinks."  
  
He nibbled the long slim column of throat exposed to him. "Hum... Anyone ever tell you that you have a devious mind?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Want to finish that brief first?" He asked. "And before you say anything. We will talk about what happened this morning before long. Only now is not the best time to go at it. We may both end up saying things that we may regret later on."  
  
She knew exactly want he was talking about and nodded her head in agreement. "Okay, I want a shower and some food before getting back to that document."  
  
He nodded. "Okay, I'll order food." Then got up and headed for the shower. "But Trini, we'll have to talk about it sometime cause I'm not giving you up that easily."  
  
Trini winced and wished he hadn't used those particular words. Sighing with resignation, she got up and turned on the radio. She was almost sure of what she felt, something so different and so wonderful that it scared her to no end. Everything was so simply only the day before and now.... There had to be an easier way to deal with this relationship.  
  
Her head snapped around as her mind finally registered what song was being blasted from the radio she had just turned on.   
  
I have a smile  
stretched from ear to ear  
to see you walking down the road  
We meet at the lights  
I stare for a while  
the world around us disappears  
Its just you and me  
on my island of hope  
a breath between us could be miles  
Let me surround you  
my sea to your shore  
let me be the calm you seek  
Oh and every time I'm close to you  
there's too much I can't say  
and you just walk away  
And I forgot  
to tell you  
I love you  
and the night's  
too long  
and cold here  
without you  
I grieve in my condition  
for I cannot find the words to say I need you so   
Oh and every time I'm close to you  
there's too much I can't say  
and you just walk away  
And I forgot  
to tell you  
I love you  
and the night's  
too long  
and cold here  
without you.  
I grieve in my condition  
for I cannot find the words to say I need you so   
  
Trini frowned at the little black box on the nightstand between the two big beds. Hum... Maybe the universe is trying to tell her something.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "You've certainly do a lot of traveling. There was that time when you disappeared for almost three years. Darling, I hope this isn't going to be anything like that again."  
  
Song played was Sarah McLachlan's "I Love You."  



	26. Change in the winds

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Ozmadayus (Shawn), you are the best. Your writing has always been an inspiration to us all that want to write a little better. Thanks for everything.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Six  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 18, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
Trini laid on her side and studied Jason's face in the moonlight and neon strip lights from the window. It was almost dawn but the moon was still glowing strong, throwing a wonderful light across the bed on Jason's features. He was a beautiful man. Not simply his handsome features, but the way he was kind and gentle. It was the way he could always put people at ease, be they young or old, beautiful or less than pleasant to the eyes, strong or societies' most vulnerable. Everyone could trust Jason Lee Scott with his big gentle hands and ready smile.   
  
She trusted him. She trusted him with her life more than once more than a lifetime ago. They've shared secrets, fears, understanding, and experiences. Trini remembered a conversation with him some time ago, after he had left her in Switzerland with the Peace Conference while he was called back into action by Tommy to fulfill the role of the much-needed Gold Ranger. Jason had bitterly complained about the life he lead where secrecy was a way of life.   
  
It had never been easy for any of them. Being Power Rangers had meant sacrificing much of their social life to battles and hours in the Command Center being patched up after combat. Dates were hard to keep due to unexpected attacks always cropping up at the most inopportune times. Heck, Trini had basically given up dating in high school while she was the controller of the Sabertooth Tiger Zord. Jason had complained that it was killing his love life, always having to run out on his dates or missing dates due to a sudden attack by their enemies.   
  
The worse part was the secrecy. None of them had ever been good liars. It was usually so obvious to see when of them was telling less than the truth. It made for difficulties. The lame excuses were less than ideals when dealing with emotions of those you are interested in. And not being about to share their lives completely? It made for even worse communication.   
  
But with Jason, Trini didn't have to hide her past. He shared it with her. All the battles, the victories, the defeats, and Zordon. They had shared the wonderful sense of being a part of something so special. She could talk to him so easily about her days as a Ranger, the problems they shared, and the sense of wonder when first encountering their zords. It was so good to be able to be so free with someone that you...  
  
She gasped, not quite believing her own thoughts.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts?" Jason asked with a quiet smile on his face. "What's wrong?" as she stared at him in disbelief. "Trini?"  
  
She blinked salty tears back.   
  
"Hey," sitting up slowly, he reached for her, pulling her up and into his arms. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," she shook her head and sniffed. "I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to bed."  
  
"Hey," he rubbed her back. "You know that I'm going to be able to rest if I don't find out what's wrong."  
  
She pulled back and smiled at him through watery eyes. "Really, I'm fine. Just remembering some things from the past.   
  
"Good or bad?" he asked slightly cautious, not trusting a woman's tears. He was never good at gauging whether tears were of joy or upset.   
  
"Good," she smiled and kissed his lips. "Really they are." She kissed him again. "Make love to me, Jason."  
  
He didn't need to be asked twice. His lips sought hers out even as his mind whirled. She had said that she wanted to make love, not have sex. If I'm not mistaken, she's definitely warmed up considerably to the idea of being with me. Life is good again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 18, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Come on, Aisha. This is ridiculous." Kimberly said as she shifted on the couch. Tommy had gone back to his place for more clothes plus to get some milk and eggs since they were out. The only thing either one of them knew to make without creating a disaster area out of the kitchen was scramble eggs. "You have to come."  
  
"Kim, did you forget who else moved to New Jersey with the rest of you people?"  
  
"Look, you were excited about coming here only a week ago." Kimberly argued. She was determined to bring the girl here since there was no chance of her leaving the East Coast any time soon. "You can stay with Trini and me and never have to see him."  
  
"Right," Aisha rolled her eyes. "You guys are practically living next door to one another. Plus from everything I hear, you and your man are getting it on."  
  
"Okay, why does everyone seem so interested in my life all of a sudden?"   
  
"Not your life my dear. It's your sex life that we want the juicy details about."  
  
"Shut up." Kimberly laughed with amusement. "Now, back to what we were talking about before. By the way, where's Tanya?"  
  
"Sitting next to me grinning like a fool."  
  
"I resent that!" Tanya yelled from the back ground before grabbing the phone from Aisha's hands. "Don't worry, if I have to tie her up and drag her to New Jersey myself, I'll do it. I can't wait to see you all."  
  
"Well we'll be glad to see you. Just tell me when and where and I'll be there to pick you up." Kimberly laughed as she could hear Aisha protesting in the background. "And you can tell Aisha that Rocky is not seeing anyone that we know of."  
  
"Really?" Tanya laughed. "Did you hear that Sha? Rocky's still on the market."  
  
"Why did I ever tell anyone about that night?!?" Aisha said before throwing up her arms. "Fine, but if there is bloodshed, you are both to blame."  
  
"Bloodshed?" Tanya grinned at her companion. "Hardly. You two will probably try to jump each other's..."  
  
"Enough, enough!"  
  
Kimberly laughed.  
  
"Oh come on," Tanya teased. "Since I don't have a man of my own to play with and haven't been on a date in what seems like forever, I have to get my thrills vicariously through you guys."  
  
"Well get them through Kimberly then cause this girl is not going anywhere near a..."  
  
"Okay, you two." Kimberly shook her head and glanced about the living room, noting that she had to remember to feed the fishes before they starved to death. If Trini came home to find her very beautiful and very expensive tropical fishes dead, there will be bloodshed. And I'd be the one to shed the blood. "You two have definitely been spending too much time together. Come here and spend some time with us."  
  
"You bet," Tanya grinned. "We'll call you once we get the details."  
  
"Okay, see you soon."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 18, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"So you'd have no problems converting the gazebo back?" Rocky asked the quiet little man with the two pencils behind his ears. "Jason said to call you and that..."  
  
"Mr. Scott and I have talked extensively on the phone." Mr. Wilson smiled slight, wrinkling up his already well-lined face. "Good solid young man, that Mr. Scott."  
  
"Jason is a very good guy." Rocky grinned, glancing at the little sketchpad in Mr. Wilson's hands. "What's that?"  
  
"Mr. Scott's designs. He wanted something very special and asked that we build it specifically to his blueprints. It's going to be a real beauty."  
  
"I'll bet." Rocky should have known that Jason would have it all covered. When it came to his house, Jason wanted the best. "So, when can you get started."  
  
"Right away. We'll have this puppy up and running in a week's time. Cleared up my schedule and all that." Mr. Wilson tore off a pink slip of paper. "Give this to Mr. Scott when he returns from his trip. We've already agreed on the price and all the materials. This should cover everything."  
  
"All right, thank you."  
  
"You know," Mr. Wilson looked at the magnificently restored Victorian Mansion. "He did a wonderful job with the house. The boy needs to get himself a good wife though. Don't know why you youngsters wait so long these days."  
  
"Just haven't found the right one, I guess." Rocky shrugged his shoulder.   
  
"Then you keep looking boy cause there's nothing like a good woman to complete a man's life. My Linda and I have been married for over thirty years and we couldn't be happier." The old man smiled fondly at the thought of his wife. "Didn't know what life was until I knew her."  
  
Rocky was touched that even after all this time, the man seemed very much in love with his wife. "You're a lucky man then."  
  
"Don't I know it."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"What's up?" Tommy asked as he sipped the coffee on the table.   
  
"Looks like Jason covered everything before he told me to meet with Mr. Wilson. They are going to turn the sauna into a enclosed gazebo with glass windows and a hot tub inside. They are going to expand the gazebo so that it would have room in there for some decorations. The man is going to go all out with this one."  
  
"Sounds like Jason." Tommy grinned. "He's never happy unless he's doing something interesting. Did you know he bought a house in Chicago and completely redid it before selling it for a profit and moving here."  
  
"Damn."  
  
"He's eccentric that way."   
  
"I'd say." Rocky shook his head and took a seat across from the table from his former leader. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you and Kimberly were practically living out of each other's pockets these days."  
  
"Came to get some clothes and to get some stuff from the market. We need to eat too you know."  
  
Rocky grinned. "And here I thought the two of you can survive on sex alone."  
  
"You're just jealous cause you're not getting any lately." Tommy laughed good naturally.  
  
Rocky sighed with resignation. "I can't even remember a time when my life was normal. And dates? Who's got time for that when you're trying to track down the bank records of certain statesman or congressional misconduct? God, what I won't give for a less than 'exciting' life."  
  
Tommy frowned in sympathy. "What's wrong?" It was unlike Rocky to be so sad.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all."  
  
"Please, I know you better than that."  
  
"He's anticipating the arrival of a certain former yellow ranger we both knew from childhood." Adam offered from the doorway. He looked ready to drop for several hours. "Any coffee left?"  
  
"Where have you been?" Tommy asked as he got up and poured his friend a cup of strong java left in the pot.  
  
"Just got off a power shift. In serious need of sleep." He sipped the coffee slowly and knew instantly who made it. "God Rocky, do you always have to brew it to death."  
  
"I like mine strong." Rocky piped up.  
  
"Strong? This is lethal." Adam sighed and poured the black mud down the sink. "Wake me for dinner someone. I need to drop for a while. And Rocky, for goodness sakes, I'm sure Aisha would not be so tacky as to bring up your one-night-stand. Just let it go." Then walked out the kitchen door toward the back stairs.  
  
Tommy sat there stunned, "What one-night-stand?"  
  
Rocky groaned and put his face in his hands. "Adam and his stupid mouth."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 18, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Dinner in or out?" Jason asked as he pushed the blue prints away. He was tired to looking at them.  
  
"In," Trini answered as her fingers continued to fly across the key board. "I want to finish this brief and notice of complaint before we hit the courts tomorrow. If we can get it filed tomorrow, we can be out of this place in a week's time."  
  
"Okay, room service it is then." He picked up theone and wavered a moment. "You want anything special?  
  
"A big pot of vanilla favored coffee." Trini mumbled, her mind still on the task at hand. "And ask them to bring a big pint of Brayer's Vanilla ice cream."  
  
"Would you like to go down to the kitchen and make something?" Jason teased remembering her sweet tooth when she gets busy.  
  
"If I didn't think the chief would freak out, I'd ask." She grinned at him.   
  
"Okay, ice and coffee. Stake and potatoes okay?"  
  
"Lots of carrots and cream corn soup too."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Jason?" she looked up with bright eyes.   
  
"What?"  
  
"I like this."  
  
He knew exactly what she was talking about. "Me too, darling. I like this a whole lot."  
  
She smiled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 19, 2004  
Robert Cranston's Home  
579 Willow Brook Ave.  
Angle Grove, CA 94531  
  
"So, you're moving again?" Mrs. Maria Cranston looked at her son fondly. The boy had grown up nicely and knew his own mind. "You've certainly do a lot of traveling. There was that time when you disappeared for almost three years. Darling, I hope this isn't going to be anything like that again."  
  
"No Mom," Billy smiled reassuringly. He could hardly tell his parents that he did a stunt on another planet for a time. "I'm just going to relocate into an area a little more populated by my friends." He stirred the tea that his mother served after every meal. "Did I tell you that Kimberly and Tommy are back together again?"  
  
"Now let me see," Mr. Robert Cranston scratched his head. "Kimberly was your childhood friend that went to the Olympics right? And Tommy is the architect?"  
  
"No dad, Jason is the architect and Tommy is the stock broker." Billy smiled; his father could never seem to get his friends straight. "And yes, Kim went to the Olympics. She's fashion critic now with Vogue magazine."  
  
"Oh, that's so nice." His mother smiled. "I remember when Tommy and Kimberly were dating in high school. They were such a sweet couple. But you kids always seem to be running off to do something or other at that time."  
  
"Dear," Mr. Cranston smiled at his wife of thirty years fondly. "They were teenagers, they always had something to do back then."  
  
Billy would have laughed if he hadn't thought it completely rude of him. His parent's memories aren't what they use to be but they still had that wonderfully charming bond between them that was so beautiful to behold. He missed them more than he had thought he could. As Dorothy of Kansas once said, there's no place like home.   
  
"Hey, Mom, Dad, I'm going to go out now. I'm going to meet up with Zack and spend some quality time with him."  
  
"Oh I remember Zack." Mrs. Cranston smiled fondly. "Such a nice man. Remember him, darling? He did that wonderful dance number for the talent show when Billy was....oh he must have been only sixteen or so."  
  
"Yes dear," Mr. Cranston nodded his head with a smile.  
  
Billy smiled and shook his head as he headed for the door. They were so wonderfully charming that he couldn't help but be amused just spending time with him. He missed them so much, especially those years that he spent away from Earth. Technology wise, the aliens certainly had one up on earth but food wise...there's nothing like a big fat burger with too much oil and greasy beyond belief.   
  
Taking his time, he drove down to Charlie's Heath and Happiness Bar, the site of where Ernie's old place used to be. He missed Angel Grove with all it's familiar sites and old stomping grounds.  
  
"Billy," Zack laughed as he pulled his friend into a hug worthy of a bear. "How's my favorite genius?"  
  
"Same as always," Billy grinned and sat down at a table. "How are you doing Zack?"  
  
"I'm healthy and ready to got the mile." Zack nodded his head. "And I missed you all."  
  
"Being in training didn't exactly give you a lot of time to come see us in the various cities that we were all stationed at for a time." Billy glanced over the list of health drinks. "Of course now that we're all conjugating in the East..."  
  
"I'll make sure to come visit more." Zack laughed. "Man, I haven't been away from all you guys this long in what seems like forever. I always had at least one of your around with me. Peace Conference was Trini and Jason, then college was Kimberly, dance school had Kat and Tommy near by but this Broadway training thing...."  
  
"But it's well worth it," Billy motioned to the waitress. "I've seen you dance, Zack. You have certainly moved into your elements."  
  
"And you've learned to talk less like computer, when did that happen?" Zack grinned.  
  
Billy shook his head. "I had to learn sooner or later. Trini use to say that if I'd just relax..."  
  
"Speaking of Trini, heard anything from her lately? I know that she and Jason are in Denver together and..."  
  
"Wait a minute," Billy shook his head not sure he heard correctly. "They're in Denver? Togther?"  
  
"Work related." Zack explained. "From Kimberly, they were ironically assigned together and... what? What?"  
  
Billy grinned. "I wonder how things are going between those two."  
  
"What are you saying?" Zack asked, frowning in confusion. "Billy?"  
  
"No, I was just wondering," Billy smiled at the waitress as she brought them their drinks. "Be kind of interesting don't you think if the old group suddenly had another couple?"  
  
"But Trini and Jason?" Completely disbelief crossed over the original black ranger's face. "I don't think so. They're too good of people and too old of friends to get together like that."  
  
"You think so?" Billy asked with some surprise. "I would think a romantic like you would be more than willing to believe that two of our best friends are finding happiness in each other's arms."  
  
"I would be more that willing to believe if it were any two but those two. Trini is too reasonable and Jason is too responsible to do something like that." Zack shook his head. "No, I don't see it."  
  
Billy smiled. "Okay, I guess it is kind of hard to imagine those two together. So, tell me about your new lady love."  
  
Zack choked on his drink. "How did you..."  
  
"You'd be surprised at what you learn through the Internet." Billy grinned. "Now that I've succeeded in getting your attention, how about we talk about why I really asked you to meet me for lunch."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 19, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Hand me that folder," Trini asked as she pushed another one into her briefcase. "The one with all the green papers in it."  
  
"You need to relax. We don't leave for court until morning." Jason said handing her the big white binder.   
  
"I want everything ready so I get some sleep tonight." Trini said pushing a lock of hair out of her face. "Hey, did you want to get dinner?"  
  
"Yeah, I made reservations for us at the MGM Grand. They have a little restaurant there call the Gatsby. It's suppose to be a wonderful little place that serve meals to die for."  
  
"We're going out?" She looked at him surprised.  
  
"Yes, on a date." He grinned at her.  
  
"A date?"  
  
"Yes, a real one." Jason pulled the closet open and pulled out a blue suit. "I don't think we've actually been on one yet."  
  
Trini's eyes were big. "No, I guess we haven't."  
  
"Well, then this will be our first date." He grinned at her. "Did you bring a nice dress?"  
  
"Yes, I have a..." she shook her head. "A date? Doesn't that seem kind of..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Normal?"  
  
He laughed. "Yeah, I guess it does. But we can do normal every once in a while, can't we?"  
  
"I guess," she pulled a bronze toned dress from a garment bag. "It's just..." She appeared to be having a little trouble wrapping her mind around the idea. "Can we have sex later anyways since I generally don't sleep with a guy on the first date?"  
  
Jason reached over and pulled her into a tight hug. "You can have whatever you want."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 20, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I hate you." Rocky said with a growl. "I really really hate you."  
  
"Yeah I know," Adam grinned as he propped his feet on the coffee table. "But you know, I didn't do it to annoy you. Tanya asked if they could stay here and I said sure since I'm pretty sure Jason would be more than happy to let them stay here with us."  
  
"I totally despise you." Rocky muttered as he sat down with the bottle of vodka and a nice little crystal glass that had been a gift from his mother.   
  
"Get over it." Adam said holding out his coffee mug toward the bottle. "And pour some of that here."  
  
Rocky reached over and poured the liquor. "How could you? And after you 'accidentally' told Tommy about that night."  
  
"Sorry about that," not looking one bite sorry about it at all. "My brain was all muddy from the lack of sleep."  
  
"I'll bet." Rocky sulked in his seat and poured the red-hot liquid down his throat.  
  
"When are you going to admit wanting another taste?" Adam said quite seriously now. "I've known you all my life, Rocky. And I've never seen you as hung up on anyone as I've seen you with Aisha. You two are just so..."  
  
"Don't," Rocky shook his head. "I don't want to hear your opinions on my states of being where Aisha Campbell is concerned."  
  
"You were half in love with you when you took her to Monte Carlo." Adam stated with complete conviction. "I know you were. Then when you guys ended in bed together, it just confirmed what I thought Aisha's feelings were and..."  
  
"Stop it, Adam," Rocky looked up sharply. "I don't want to talk about that night or any kind of possibilities associated with it. I just want to forget and..."  
  
"You're lying through your teeth and we both know it." Adam frowned at Rocky. His friend had never been this stubborn before. "You can tell yourself all kinds of nice explanations and rationalities but we both know the truth. You simply have to face up to it before it tears apart what has been a very long and very good friendship."  
  
"And you don't think our night together has already done that?!?" Rocky asked, his face contorted in pain. "God, what the hell was I thinking taking her to bed like that?"  
  
"You were in lo...."  
  
"Shut up, Adam." Rocky got up. "Just shut the hell up."  
  
Adam shook his head. "If I ever fall in love, I sure the hell hope that I'm nothing like you. You're an idiot, Rocky. And that's a fact."  
  
Rocky muttered as he headed up the stairs toward his room, "Like I didn't know that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 21, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"When?" Kimberly shouted into the phone.  
  
"I'd say we would be landing in Angel Grove in about two hours time." Tanya said with a quick grin for Aisha who was having some trouble keeping her amusement to herself.   
  
"Boy, you weren't kidding when you said that you'd be spontaneous when you move." Kimberly shook her head and glanced at Tommy. "So when do you head this way?"  
  
"We're hoping by the end of this week. Maybe Saturday or Sunday." She took a sip of the soda in front of her, the first carbonated anything in over a year now. "My parents are going to try to keep me there for at least this full week. But we'll see about swinging your way hopefully by Sunday at the latest."  
  
"Well, you know that you're welcomed here." Tommy rolled his eyes at Kimberly and shook his head. "Tommy wants to know if he needs to pick you guys up at the airport."  
  
"Maybe, I'm not sure yet." Tanya said as she watched Aisha out of the corner of her eyes. "And as for accommodations, Adam offered up the futons in Jason's family room for us." Aisha's eyes went big and she choked on her drink. "Aisha is thrilled, as you can hear."  
  
Gasping for air, Aisha was anything but thrilled. In fact, she looked ready to murder her flight companion. If she could ever caught her breath again.  
  
Kimberly put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "Oh Tanya, you're so bad."  
  
"I know." She grinned and helpfully patted Aisha on the back as the girl continued to cough and wheeze. "I'll talk to you when we've got our plans more patted down. Bye."  
  
"Bye, behave yourself."  
  
"Don't I always?" Tanya asked sweetly.  
  
"Like right now?" Kimberly laughed. "Bye."  
  
Tommy grinned as he watched his little darling laugh until there were tears in her eyes. "Okay, you want to share the news?"  
  
"Oh god," Kim took a deep breath to calm herself. "Rocky is going to get a jolt worth time times his weight in gold."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Dates, movies, dancing, and of course the sex will definitely have to continue."  



	27. Visitation

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Morgan and Hanspam, for all the wonderful stories you guys write. I may review all the time but know that I'm always reading.   
  
Note: This story is getting too long. So, I've decided to end it soon. A quick survey will be seen in the near future to help me decide on the fate of this story. So, keep on the look out for it. And remember, be a responsible reader, R&R.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Seven  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 22, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"You're not going to sulk around here like this for the rest of the week, are you?" Tommy asked as he walked by Rocky, who as sprawled on the living room ground. "What's up, bro?"  
  
"I hate my job." Rocky groaned. "My back hurts from all the hours in front of my computer."  
  
"I always said that you needed to be something out in the wide open fields."   
  
"Like?"  
  
"Investigative reporting."  
  
"Sneaking around like a private eye? I don't think so." Rocky looked up at his friend. "I think I'll stick with writing my little articles about political misconduct."  
  
"Okay, but I heard that your new magazine is looking for a over seas investigative reporter." Tommy said sitting down on the couch just above where Rocky was lying. "It could be a really good opportunity for you to get away from this kind of thing that doesn't make you happy."  
  
"I... hey, what've you got there?" Rocky tilted his head. "Tommy?"  
  
"It's a real estate listing." Tommy said with a hint of a smile. "I thinking that maybe..."  
  
"What?" Rocky sat up slowly, looking at Tommy. "You and Kim getting that serious?"  
  
"No, not like that." Tommy shook his head and sat back in the chair. "I just thought that it would be a good investment for the future and... It would be nice to have a place of my own. Jason would no doubt be able to help with the choosing of something wonderful. Look at this house he bought."   
  
"Yeah," Rocky shook his head. "You really serious about this?"  
  
"Sure," Tommy grinned. "I think it would be a good investment. I'm settled into a new job. My girl and I need our own space. And it's not like Jason needs the rent money, not the way he makes money off the stock market as he does. Heck, he's probably even better than I am at this now."  
  
"Annoying, isn't it?" Rocky made a face.   
  
"Yeah, definitely. Oh by the way," Tommy reached behind him and grabbed a blue folder. "Your portfolio."   
  
"My what?" he took the folder and glanced briefly at it.   
  
"Your financial portfolio." He sighed as he put the real estate book down. This was going to be more complicated than he had first expected. Maybe Jason's real estate agent could handle some of this for him. "I made one for both you and Adam. I thought that was what you wanted."  
  
"It is, thanks." He grinned as he looked through some of the stuff prepared. "So what's the verdict? May I completely in deep shit or not? Did I make anything yet?"  
  
"You're not as bad off as you think." Tommy sighed and prepared himself. "Why don't we go to the study? I'll explain some of it to you. And yes, I've made some investments on your behave as your agent and you have made some money."  
  
"Cool," Rocky got up to follow him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 22, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Brandon, I don't care what it takes. You have to get me those documents." Trini shouted into the phone the volume of her voice rising at the same rate as her temper. Two days of litigation in court over the fine print has her temper on a short leash. After her wonderful "first date" with Jason, which included a wonderful dinner at Gatsby and dancing at MGM's Studio 54, they had returned had returned in a fog of blissful haze to make love for hours. She had been so wonderfully content being in her lover's arms, and then she woke up at seven in the morning and got ready for court. From there on out, the week had gone to hell in a hand basket. "I need them for Friday. Plus, I want to see about filing a civil case against them as well. What that firm did was unconscionable."   
  
"Trini, you have to calm down," Brandon sighed and handed a quick note to his secretary who hovered by always ready. "We can't move on the civil stuff until we've got the client's permission and I don't think the corporation is ready to do so. There's been enough delays on this project that I sincerely doubt that they want to do anything to jeopardize it with a prolonged civil case that can take years to collect."  
  
"The civil case would not interfere with the construction. We both know that. Talk to them," Trini ran her hand through her wet hair. She had to shampoo her hair twice to get the small of smoke and sweat out of it. The day had been horrible long and every bit as frustrating as the past two days had been. The courts were cooperative but the opposition in this case was a nightmare. She had secretly nicknamed her opposing counsels 'the weasel brothers.' "Look, you guys are going to have to either send a team down here or find a local firm to handle this. This emergency stuff I can handle on my own here with backup time from NY. But I can't stay here indefinitely. The civil case, if there is to be one, is going to have to be handled with a lot more care than this."  
  
"We know that. The situation is being talked of from upstairs. The big boys have been closet in the board room all this morning and most of the afternoon. This is a big one for the company. But rest assured, it will not fall completely on your shoulders. We would never be so cruel."   
  
"I should hope not." She glanced at the brief she had been working on while waiting in the halls of the courthouse to be called in. The boring brief was the last thing she wanted to be doing right now. She had other ideas of how to enlightening her mood. And they all involve a very handsome architect working not fifteen feet from her. I wonder if I can talk him into getting into that wonderful shower with me?  
  
"How are things working out with Mr. Scott?" Brandon asked.  
  
"What?" her eyes went wide for one terrifying moment. No, he couldn't know!  
  
"Is he really as good as his bosses say?" Brandon asked, slightly amused. "Cause they went on and on about him til I thought he was gay and doing the boss or something."  
  
Trini choked on her laugher. "No, I can assure you that he's not gay and he is as brilliant as they say he is."  
  
"He made a pass at you or something?"  
  
"Something like that." She laughed with great amusement. She was definitely going to have to share this with Jason. With his rather strange sense of humor, he may just find this funny. "Okay, I need to work on the brief for tomorrow. Call me when you get the stuff."  
  
"It's seven in the evening, Trini."  
  
"Then you better hurry up so you can go home." She smiled with no guilt and feeling considerably more cheered. "Night."  
  
"You're a terrible person, Trini Kwan." Jason said with a grin wide enough to split his face. He had his head turned toward her and was currently wiggling a finger at her. "That was a horrible thing to have done to your fellow lawyer."  
  
"Hey, I'm stuck out here in this stifling heat instead of him. So he really has nothing to complain about. Plus, I'm getting him double overtime. You'd think he'd be grateful." She pulled her legs up from the side of the bed and curled them underneath her. "Come here," she patted the seat next to her. "I want to talk to you."   
  
"Oh, oh," he gave her a look that conveyed his nervousness over the particular look in her eyes. She looked far too serious for his liking at the moment. The last thing he wanted to do was have her end any possibility of a meaningful understanding between them. But he can't exactly gag her about this for the rest of this trip. It's the possibilities were driving him mad. "What is it?"  
  
"I want to talk about us."  
  
"There is an us?" he asked slowly, hopeful.  
  
"Of course there is," she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her eyes lit up like jewels in the night. "You're right." She nodded her head to emphasize the point. "I've been doing some deep thinking between tearing my hair out over this case and listening to the powers that be through the radio. I'm not going to deny liking what we have, what we are. And it has moved beyond the friendship that we once shared." She closed her eyes and sighed with a smile. "And that is a good thing."  
  
"Really?" he was definitely surprised. "Why the change of heart? Not that I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, but only a few days ago you were ready to..."  
  
"Yes, and you were right in wanting me to wait until I've had time to think things through and work it out in my mind. Whatever I could have or would have said that morning could have potentially broken both of our hearts and possibly destroyed our friendship."  
  
"And now?"  
  
"Now, I've thought things through." She smiled sweetly at him. "I've decided that I do trust you, like none other that I've ever been with and I need to have a little faith in that. In our friendship and our trust, and definitely us. You are Jason Scott, former Power Ranger and friend. I know you to the same degree that you know me and that's pretty good. I want to build on what we had in the past and what we have now."  
  
He shook his head both relieved and amusement by this turn of events. "Wow, I always knew you were intelligent but I never realized just how amazing you really are."  
  
"I'm not done yet." She pulled herself into his lap. She rather liked being in his arms like this. "I want a relationship with you. A real one this time, with all the trimmings. Dates, movies, dancing, and of course the sex will definitely have to continue." She gave him a meaningful look over that one. "But I'm not ready to tell the others yet."  
  
"Excuse me?" Jason asked with a raised brow. "May I ask why?"  
  
"Well first of all, the others are not likely to understand this. They don't see you or me as people that have affairs, totally against their perceptions of us. We're not impulsive people, never have been except for that one occasion that led to all of it, which I have no regrets about. And it's probably going to creep them out somewhat, not to mention piss them off for not telling them in the first place. Second, our jobs at the moment require us to be completely professional and on top of everything. Were it known that we were sleeping together during this big project, people are likely to talk and we can compromise our positions within our respectable companies. And third, and possibly the most important point..."  
  
Jason grinned. "And what would that be?"  
  
The twinkle in her eyes gave her away. "All that sneaking around... oh baby, it's a definite turn on."  
  
"Really now," he laughed as she snuggled closer. Her body curving itself to his perfectly, like she had been made to be his. "Well then, a very good reason to keep it from others for now." He tucked her head under his chin. He can, without doubt, wait if it meant that he got to be with her like this. Besides, she was right, the sneaking around was a definite turn on. It added a little spice into their relationship. "We can ease the idea into their minds slowly."  
  
"Hum... I like that." She ran her fingertips down his arm lightly. "Ease them in, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, we'll play a couple of basketball games, go see a movie or two, maybe spar a few times..." he nibbled on her neck.   
  
"Wrestle together?" She suggested as her fingers trailed gently over his thighs. This conversation was not going to be a very long one if she had it her way.  
  
"Oh definitely."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 23, 2004  
Robert Cranston's Home  
579 Willow Brook Ave.  
Angle Grove, California  
  
"You sure about this?" Zack asked with a great deal of trepidation. "I don't want to be sneaking up on them or anything like that."  
  
"Don't worry," Tanya laughed as she poured more lemonade into a glass. The heat was nothing compared to the weather they had to endure in Africa but still it was awfully warm in the day. "I'm sure the guys would welcome you into their home with open arms."  
  
Aisha nodded enthusiastically. "Plus if you go, then I'll be able to stay at Trini's without looking like a complete coward."  
  
"You know," Zack grinned at her. "I got part of the story one night when Adam was four sheets to the wind but I never got a real answer out of Rocky, who definitely holds his liquor better than his friend though not by much. Of course, no one can beat Tommy and Jason at the drinking games." He smiled that wonderfully mischievous smile of his and leaned closer. "So what really happened that night?"  
  
"None of your business." She answered resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at him. "Besides, why is everyone so interested in the matter?"  
  
"Cause it's juicy gossip." Tanya answered as Billy brought in what looked to be a plate of home-made cookies. "Oh, Billy. You're spoiling me."  
  
"Mom heard you guys were coming and baked some last night." Billy grinned at her. "She said that you guys would probably need fattening up after spending so much time in the jungles."  
  
"It's the desert and you can fatten me up any day." Tanya said reaching for a cookie. "I love these."  
  
"Then you're going to love staying with Trini." Zack laughed. "When I was visiting her, she must have made enough food to feed a ship full of starving navy boys."  
  
"Oh if they were from the navy and ships out for weeks on the sea, it's not Trini's food they're going to be wanting." Tanya laughed as she watched Aisha out of the corner of her eyes. "Well, Sha? What do you say? With Zack there and us sleeping over at Trini's pad, can you go now?"  
  
"Absolutely, then." Aisha smiled at her friends. As long as I don't have to sleep anywhere near Rocky Descantos, I'm a happy girl. Not to mention the fact that he's a lot safer with me not around him so much. She still felt rather guilty for taking advantage of him that night in Monte Carlo. He had been so wonderfully sweet to arrange the birthday trip for her and what did she do to repay him for his generous nature? Seduce the poor boy while he was intoxicated and not quite thinking straight. Though thinking back she wasn't all too sober herself or she would have never done something so outrageously wrong. But damn, it was the best night of my life.   
  
"Okay, so it's settled then." Billy smiled. "See Zack, I told you there was a reason for everything."  
  
"Is this why you asked me to come to New York with you next week?" Zack asked, rather amazed that things are pulling along so quickly. Usually it takes him weeks of indecision to do anything worthy.  
  
"No, I just wanted the company. Plus I thought the others would like to see you as well. And most of them didn't particular want to wait until your company visits in December. You'd be so busy then, you won't have time for us." It was so easily logical.  
  
"Oh."   
  
Aisha grinned at him. "Feeling slightly stupid?"  
  
"Yeah," the dancing former black ranger nodded his head. "Kind of."  
  
"I feel like that all the time when I'm with these people."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 24, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Wow!" Kimberly grinned and hung up the phone. "That was unexpected."  
  
"What's going on?" Tommy kissed the top of her head and set the pasta down on the table. He had been cooking dinner when the phone rang. Kimberly had went into the living room to answer it.   
  
"That was Billy, he's on his way over on Sunday with the gang in tow." She said helping to set the table now that she was no longer busy with the phone.  
  
"Really? What did you mean by the gang?"   
  
"Zack, Aisha, and Tanya are heading this way with Billy when he moves in."   
  
Tommy's brows went up in surprise and delight. "Really now?"  
  
"Yeah," she nodded. "The boys will be staying over at Jason's and the ladies will be here with me and Trini."  
  
"Has anyone informed Jason of that yet?" He asked rather mildly. "After all, it is his house."  
  
"You think he would mind?" Surprised at this.  
  
"No, I don't think he would mind in the least. Jason is too big hearted to mind a couple of friends just showing up at his door. Hell, he probably won't mind if Zordon brought all his former rangers into his house."  
  
"Then what's the problem?"  
  
"The problem is that it's his house. We should at least the very least ask."  
  
"Okay, I'll call Jason at the hotel later and talk to my girl Trini as well, she was acting kind of weird in the last couple of conversations." She sat down with him. "I'm so glad that Juan has take outs."  
  
"Me too," Tommy nodded his head. "I can't believe I over-cooked the pasta. I thought that stuff was fool proof."  
  
"It's supposed to be, but they are not Tommy and Kimberly proofed. It's okay," she patted his cheek with mocking reassurance. "I love you even if you can't cook."  
  
"Considering you can't either, I really have to wonder how we managed to live this long without starving to death."  
  
"The wonders of fast food and take outs, my dearest." She sighed and dug into her pasta.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 24, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Yes, Yes, Yes, YES!"  
  
"Trini!"  
  
"What?" she turned around.  
  
"Stop doing your victory dance," Jason said with a laugh as he shut the door to their suite while pushing the box of legal material that Trini simply had no energy to carry. "It's very unprofessional, not to mention immature, of you."  
  
"Are you kidding? I totally deserve a moment of silly victory dance considering the assholes I just had to face in court today. I'm feeling good!" She started to dance around the room again.  
  
Jason could do nothing more than shake his head and allow her her day of jubilee. He had quietly sat in the back while Trini went up against three other lawyers on a motion to bar the former architectural company from the construction site and move on the notice of continuance with a new firm at the helm. Six hours later, she came out victorious with Venetian Resort ready to move on their expansion plans, and Jason's firm now heading it.   
  
Since the moment the ruling was announced, Trini had been on cloud nine. All the week's hard work and sleepless nights had paid off big time. Now all they needed to do was file the civil suit and move on the case trial and they were good to go. Jason would turn in his preliminary report and return to New York for a conference with the bosses. The project was solid as far as he could see; it was the weak, cheap materials that were used that had caused all the problems.   
  
"Want dinner?" He asked as he sat his briefcase down on the bed still cluttered with books and papers. They had been sleeping in Trini's bed, whenever they actually felt the absolute need to sleep. It's going to take them most of tomorrow to clean up the mess they made of the room.  
  
"Yes," she swung around and threw herself into his arms. "I want to have dinner but I want to eat out again. I want to go dancing. I want to soak up the Vegas strip. I want to stand on top of Cesear's palace and sing to the moon. I want to...."  
  
Jason's lips on over her mouth stopped her rambling. He could taste the happiness and excite in her mouth and swallowed the joy in her laugher. "As much as I love that suit on you, are you going to get dressed so we can do that?"  
  
"Yes," she laughed and gave him a quick hard hug. "I think at this moment, I can truly fly!"  
  
"As high from your victory as you are, you just might."  
  
Her eyes were sparkling as she turned to him again. "Jason, I lo...."  
  
The ringing phone cut her off. Jason held up his hand. "Hold that thought, let me get this. It could be the bosses wanting a update."  
  
She nodded and bit her lip, not sure if she wanted to curse the phone or thank it for interrupting her impulsive response. Take a deep breath, girl. Take a good deep breath and calm down. You are moving too fast and that has never been a good thing..  
  
"Hey, Tommy. What's up, bro?"  
  
Trini scrambled around the bed. Perfect! I need a good girl-to-girl talk with my girl. "I want to talk to Kim."  
  
Jason avoided her outreaching hand. "What makes you think Kim's even with him?"  
  
She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, Tommy? Trini wants to talk to Kim."  
  
"Oh," Tommy sighed. "Hold on."  
  
Jason grinned before handing the phone over to her.  
  
She laughed and gave him a kiss before taking the phone. "Hey, girl."  
  
"Hey yourself. You sound happy." Kimberly said as she made a face at Tommy who was rolling his eyes at her.  
  
"I kicked ass today."   
  
"That's great! Does that mean that you'll be coming home soon?" She wanted to know.  
  
"Yeah, looks like. As soon as Jason and I make our report to the heads here, which should be sometime tomorrow, we can come home. Why, what's up?" she made a shooing gesture toward Jason, wanting a minute along with her gal pal.  
  
"Billy is bring the rest of the old gang over with him come Sunday afternoon. The ladies would like the privilege of staying at the condo and the boys wants to stay with Jason."   
  
"Sounds like a fine idea." She covered the mouthpiece and shouted at Jason before he left for the bathroom to give her some privacy. "Hey, Jase. Billy is coming in on Sunday with the others missing members of the old Ranger gang. Okay if the guys stay with you?"  
  
"Why not?" he shrugged his broad shoulders and shut the door with a grin. He really did need a shower anyways. Las Vegas may be kind to the eyes and magnificent to an architect's sense of structure, but it was really hard on the nose and clothes. Most of his suits now smell like casino lobbies.  
  
"Kim, he says sure." She glanced at the door and lowered her voice. "I have a little problem."  
  
"What's up?" Kimberly waved Tommy out of the room. He looked blankly at her. "Tommy, get out. Trini wants to talk to me in private."  
  
He sighed and headed for the kitchen. He knew not to eavesdrop on girl talk.   
  
"Okay, what's up?"  
  
"Remember how I said that I was in kind of an affair."  
  
"Sex only, yeah I remember." Kim frowned. Oh no. "And may I just say that I'm totally disapproving of this idea. I mean, not that I don't want to see you happy but sex without the...."  
  
"Kim, shut up and listen to me."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"He wants more."  
  
"Really now," Kimberly grinned. Why am I not surprised!  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Sorry." She couldn't keep the smile off her face. "And you?"  
  
"I want this." She said honestly.  
  
"So go for it!" Kimberly said with a great idea of enthusiasm. She wanted Trini to be happy so badly. The girl has been burned by love one too many times, and not in the usual manner.   
  
"I'm scared."  
  
"You should be, love is a powerful thing." Kimberly warned, lord knows that she's gone through it. "Can you trust him?"  
  
"With my life." She said with conviction.  
  
"Bring him home one of these days and let me have a crack at him." She said seriously. "I can tell you if he's right or wrong for you."  
  
"I just might." She grinned thinking of all the reactions she would be getting were she to really bring Jason home. "Anyways...."  
  
"You don't worry about this, okay? Just come home and..." Kimberly stopped, the light clicked on in her head. "Wait a minute!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You've been gone for two weeks. How have you and whoever he is been.... Trini, has he been calling you over there?" Her eyes narrowed. If the bastard has been...  
  
"Kim," Trini sighed. "It's a long and..."  
  
"Did he go with you? Cause if he did, Jason can handle his ass if he becomes a problem." She gripped the phone tight. "Or does Jason know already? Before me? How could you Trini! I wanted to be the one to ...."  
  
Trini wanted to laugh. "You need to relax. Everything is..."  
  
"Trini, I don't want to see you hurt again. If this guy is..."  
  
"KIM! Back off. Everything is fine. I'm not in any danger." She said with a sigh. She should have remembered Kimberly protective streak, which was a mile longer than anyone else's in her life. Well, okay, maybe not. Compared to Jason's.... "We'll talk about this later."  
  
"Trini..."  
  
"Jason is taking me to celebrate my victory today so I've got to go. Bye." Then she hung up with a sigh. It was hard keeping secrets from her best friend.  
  
"Everything okay?" Jason poked his head out of the door after hearing the phone being placed back on his cradle.   
  
"Everything's just peachy."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Trini is a big girl with lots of friends that have big muscles. If this guy thinks that he can try anything with us around, he can think again. Don't worry, darling."  



	28. New Arrivals

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: The Girl with the Red Jacket for writing "The Hero." God, I can't tell you how much inspiration you give me when I read your writing. I hope you keep it up cause I'm going to be watching for a whole lot more. Plus, for giving me the courage to write about non-canon couples. Thanks girl, you are "my" hero.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Eight  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 24, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Kimberly rested her chin on her upraised knees and stared at the six fishes. She had remembered to feed them but honestly, she wasn't sure how much of that green and pink stuff she was suppose to put into that tank. She sincerely hoped that Trini's pinch and her pinch was the same measurement. Why can't they make a good measuring spoon for fish food it would be so much easier on those that are completely inept at keeping other living creatures alive.  
  
She sighed. She was avoiding a certain kind of worrying by thinking of the fishes. Trini was getting herself into yet another relationship that could potentially blow up in her face. She remembered vividly of some of the more terrifying conversations in the past with Trini having to keep the doors manually blocked with a chair to keep her crazed lovers away.  
  
A part of her wanted to fly down to Vegas and talk some sense into her friend. God, she wanted Trini to be happy, if anyone deserved it Trini certainly did. But the men in her life. Kimberly could never understand why the men in Trini's life felt the need to treat her like she was some sort of breakable china doll. No one was more strong that that woman. Heck, just sit in on one of her litigation secessions. Or better yet, watch the girl spar with anyone.   
  
She really shouldn't worry too much. Trini's got her friends around this time around should something go wrong. Jason, for one, would never put up with anyone trying to hurt Trini. Kimberly smiled. Good old Jason. He was always like the protective older brother for me and Trini. Yeah, he'll take care of Trini. And if he doesn't, I'll happily kill him and the guy.  
  
"What's up?" Tommy asked from the doorway. "You've got that very serious look in your eyes."  
  
"Trini just got herself into another relationship that I'm not too sure is healthy for her." Kimberly sighed and stood up.   
  
Tommy frowned. "Trini is a big girl with lots of friends that have big muscles. If this guy thinks that he can try anything with us around, he can think again. Don't worry, darling." He reached out and pulled Kimberly into his arms. "We take care of our own around here."  
  
"I worry about her." She sighed and rested her cheek against his chest. "She is so strong in so many way but when it comes to relationships..."  
  
"You'd think once bitten, twice shy." He smiled and soothed her with long strokes down her back.   
  
"You mean six times ripped apart, but yet to learn." Kimberly wrapped her arms around Tommy. "You know, I'm so glad that I have you and never have to play that kind of dating game."  
  
"Me too, darling. Me too." He smiled and played with a lock of her hair. "You want to go upstairs?"  
  
"We are discussing Trini here." She looked up and glared at him. "Can't you men ever..."  
  
"I'm a young healthy guy that's in love." He grinned at her. "And yes, I can still worry about Trini. But that doesn't mean that I can't think of other things as well."  
  
"Like your libido?" She punched him lightly in the stomach. "I'm going to bed."  
  
"I'll join you."  
  
"To sleep?"  
  
"If you want," his smiled told her that she was going to have a lot of trouble getting a good night's rest with him in her bed.   
  
"One track mind." But didn't say no.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 25, 2004  
Jason Scott's Resident  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
The pounding of feet on the stairs had Adam groaning. His head felt as if it would split apart any second now. The headache has only gotten worse in the last two hours rather than better. For a doctor, he really hated to rely on medicine on something as simple as getting rid of a headache. "Rocky, I swear to god if you don't..."  
  
"Sorry," Rocky looked over the back of the couch in sympathy. "How's the headache?"  
  
"Worse." He groaned and grabbed his head again. "With all the symptoms of a migraine."  
  
"Ouch," he winced and sighed. "You want that aspirin now?"  
  
"No," the former black ranger snapped stubbornly. "I'm going to get through this if it kills me."  
  
"By the expression on your face, it just might." He shook his head. "You want me to call...."  
  
Rrrrriiiiiinnnnngggggg................  
  
"Ah...." Adam cried, as he felt as if someone just gabbed needled into his ears. "Make it stop!"  
  
Rocky snatched up the phone before it could ring again. "Rocky's house of torture, how can I be of service?"  
  
"What have you done with Adam?" Kim asked. "He sounds like someone just stepped on his toes or something. Did you hurt..."  
  
"No," Rocky sat down and looked at his still groaning friend. "He's got a migraine and refuses to take anything to help it out. It's the Asian side of him rearing its ugly head over the thought of taking western medicines."  
  
"Shut up!" Adam shouted swinging a pillow at his best friend's head. "I need a drink."  
  
"You need a pill and a big mallet to knock you out." Rocky called after him as he headed toward the elegant dinning room's liquor cabinet. "Hey, Kim. What can I do for you?"  
  
"Tell Adam that he needs to get better before tomorrow." Kim said with a grin, wishing to hell that she could be there to see his reaction. But she would rather stay alive.  
  
"Any particular reason why he needs to be in good health for tomorrow?" Rocky asked as he turned over to see if he could spot his poor ailing friend.  
  
"Cause that's when Billy, Zack, Tanya, and Aisha hit town."   
  
There was dead silence as Rocky forgot to breath.  
  
"Rocky?"   
  
He felt has if his heart would stop.  
  
"Rocky?!?"  
  
Then oxygen became a serious issue.  
  
"ROCKY!!!!"  
  
"WHEN?!?!?"   
  
Kim smiled, slightly relieved. "Tomorrow at one in the afternoon, they are due to arrive at gate fifteen at Newark International Airport. Billy said to bring a big truck, which means Tommy and I will both have to drive."  
  
There was silence again.  
  
"Rocky, you still here?"  
  
"Yeah, I have to go now." Rocky glanced at the clock. It was only ten in the morning. "I'll talk to you later. And tell Tommy to call Jason, tell him to come home."  
  
"Rocky? What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, just tell Tommy to call Jason. Oh and the gazebo is coming along real good." Rocky cranked his neck over to see if Adam was still standing or if the boy had finally hit the ground. "Talk you to later."  
  
"Rock..." but he had already hung up the phone.  
  
"ADAM!"  
  
"DON'T YELL!" Adam shouted back from the dinning room.  
  
"I need to go to the mall."  
  
"Well I'm not coming with you." Adam said as he headed back into the living room with a bottle. "Why are you going there anyways?"  
  
Rocky frowned. "I have nothing to wear."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 25, 2004  
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
"Okay, that could possibility be the longest six hours of my life. And I'm hungry." Trini said as she flopped onto the bed. She was exhausted.   
  
The meeting with the board of Venetian Resort had not gone as well as she had planed. Yes, they were going to go ahead with the civil case. But it will have to wait until the contracts have been signed to finish what had been started with the expansion. Jason presented his case in his usual professional tone, which confused the hell out of Trini as much as her legal terms confused Jason. It had been a long and rather difficult day. The last thing either one of them wanted to do was think about work.  
  
"Do you want to grab dinner here in the room?" Jason asked as he loosened his tie and tossed the briefcase onto a chair. "Cause I'm not sure I have the energy to go out right now."  
  
"Here sounds fine." Her back ached from the hours of sitting in front of a computer. She had better be well compensated for this. "Do you have any energy to order dinner? Cause I know that I'm too tired to move right now."  
  
"Me too." He sat down next to her prone body and sighed. "How about we take a nap and then...."  
  
The ringing phone cut him off and had Trini groaning in pain. "Don't answer it."  
  
"I have to." He said reaching for the phone.  
  
For someone that was too tired to order dinner, Trini was surprisingly fast at stopping him from reaching the phone. "Don't, please. I really do not want to talk to anyone or deal with any more issues for the day."  
  
"It might be Tommy and Kim with news." He pointed out logically as the phone continued to ring.  
  
"Or it could be our bosses wanting an update on this project." She said with a groan.  
  
"Trini...."  
  
"Fine, fine, answer the damn thing."  
  
He picked it up with an apologetic smile. "Hello?"  
  
"Trini there?" A masculine voice asked.  
  
"She's currently unavailable. Can I ask who is calling?"  
  
"Tell her it's Quinn O'Riley. I need her to call me at any time of the day as soon as she can." The man sounded almost desperate.   
  
"Sure, I'll do that. Quinn O'Riley right?" he asked looking at Trini to gage her reaction.  
  
Trini's head snapped up in surprise.  
  
"I'll be sure to tell her. Thank." He hung up the phone and looked at her. "Who's Quinn O'Riley?"  
  
She sighed. "An old colleague. We handled a case on uncooperative landlords once. What the heck would he be... Oh shit."  
  
"What?"   
  
"The Walley case must have been sent back to trial." She shook her head. "Alan must have dropped the ball on it."  
  
Jason shook his head to clear it. "Okay, tell it to me again so that it makes sense."  
  
She looked at him blankly for a moment and then smiled. "I'm sorry. The Walley case was about neglect of rental repairs. The Walley's little girl, Sarah, was hit in the head with a fallen beam that was never fixed properly despite numerous reports to the landlord. Sarah was in the hospital for several days due to the injury. She's three years old and can no longer hear out of her left ear. The Walley's are suing the landlord for damages. I tried the case about a year ago and won a settlement close to half a million dollars. The landlord refused to pay the amount and brought the case up on appeals. I had decided to leave the company by then and had handed the case over to Alan Spaulding. That was eight months ago. Alan must have lost the case in the court of appeals and the case is now being thrown back into civil for retrial. That would be the reason Quinn is calling me."  
  
"Cause he wants you to try the case again." Jason nodded his head. "Are you?"  
  
"I can't. First of all, it's not my case anymore. Second, I work for another company now that's not likely to let me off for time to work on another case. And third, the whole reason I left the company was to get away from cases like that in the first place."  
  
He nodded his head in understanding and reached to help her undo the jacket she still wore. "Okay, then. I guess you won't be returning that call."  
  
"For him to call me here would mean that he's pretty desperate." Trini sighed. "But I didn't drop the ball on this one. He's just going to have to clean it up himself."  
  
"Okay." The blouse had nice little cloth-covered buttons that didn't like his big clumsy hands trying to undo them. "You want to get these before I break something?"  
  
She smiled and undid the buttons herself. "So, we going to make love now?"  
  
"No, you're going to go take a nice hot bath. And I'm going to go order dinner. We'll make love afterwards. As much as I would love to get it on right now, I'm simply too exhausted. Cause like you, I'm hungry too."  
  
She nibbled on his neck as she undid the back zipper of her skirt. "I think maybe I can change your mind on the order of your wants at the moment."  
  
"Trini, you can talk the devil into going to church." He laughed as her delicate little fingers tugged ever so gently at his trouser pants. "Don't you want to eat?"  
  
"Yes, but it's not food I'm after right now. I think...." She growled, as she is interrupted again. "We're going to have to unplug that phone."  
  
"Hello?" Jason said with a grin for his lover.  
  
"Jason?"   
  
"Tommy, hey. What's up?" Jason sat up slowly, disentangling Trini's arms from around him.   
  
"I need to talk to you in private. Trini around?"  
  
"Yeah, let me step away." He held his hand over the mouthpiece. "Tommy needs a talk."  
  
She nodded her head. "I'll go take that bath now then."  
  
"Thanks." He smiled at her as she left to take her bath. "Okay, bro. You're on."  
  
"I'm going to move out of your place soon." Tommy said out preamble.   
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Cause I want to talk to Kimberly about moving into a place with me."   
  
"Oh." He could feel the grin breaking out on his face. "Have you found a house yet?"  
  
Tommy could well imagine Jason's reaction to his little news "Kind of, it's not too far from your place and not quite as big. But it's a sweet place with three bedrooms and nice yard. But that's not why I called. Got a couple of questions for you."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"How is Trini situated should Kimberly agreed to move in with me, do you know?"  
  
Jason scratched his head. "I'm almost sure that Trini does not need the rent from Kim anymore that I need it from you."  
  
"She makes pretty good money as a lawyer." Tommy pointed out.  
  
"No, that's not where the bulk of her income comes from. Hell, if I relayed on my income to buy my house, I won't have had it."  
  
"She plays the market?"  
  
"Almost as good as you and me." Jason grinned. "So, you asked Kim yet?"  
  
"No, I want to put the deal with the house in order first."  
  
"What if she decides not to move in with you?"  
  
"Well, then I'll have a nice big house all to myself unless one of the guys decide to move in with me."  
  
Jason laughed. "Now there's an idea. Besides, a house is a good investment."  
  
"It sure is." Tommy smiled then got serious. "Anyways..."  
  
"There's more?"  
  
"Two things."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"One, Billy arrives on the gang in tow tomorrow afternoon. Any chance that you'd be back soon? Zack, Aisha and Tanya can only stick around for about a week or so."  
  
"Yeah, Trini and I are pretty much done here. We're going to try to get on the earliest flight tomorrow for home. We'd to it tonight but I don't think either one of us is up to flying right now."  
  
"Tough day?"  
  
"Like nothing you've seen before." Jason sighed and glanced at the bathroom door. "And the second thing?"  
  
"Trini."  
  
Jason frowned into the phone. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Kim's worried that Trini got herself into some kind of trouble again." Tommy sounded rather exasperated, as if Kimberly had twisted his arm into having this conversation with his best friend.  
  
"Why would she..."  
  
"Trini apparently has been having an affair with some guy for a while now. No name from what I can get out of my girlfriend, I doubt even she knows. Kimberly says that she didn't like that sound of the so called relationship. Something said a couple of days go got Kim all riled up and protective on Trini. Keep an eye out will you? For this mystery guys Trini is apparently sleeping with."  
  
Jason wanted to laugh. "You sound kind of disbelieving."  
  
"I think Trini is just yanking Kim's chain. I mean, Trini is the most sensible person I know. She is not exactly the ideal candidate for someone that would have a hot torrid affair. Heck, that's as believable as you having an affair."  
  
Choking down his amusement, Jason had to take a couple of deep breaths. "What would you like me to do?"  
  
"Keep an eye out. I know that you've always been real protective of Trini and all and I really shouldn't need to tell you how vulnerable Trini is even when she would have us believing otherwise. I mean, just look at her past relationships. But just indulge me on this. It would give Kim some peace of mind."  
  
"And relieve you of a very irritated girlfriend right?"  
  
"Exactly." Tommy grinned.  
  
Shaking his head at the irony of things, Jason really did have to wonder about the universe's sense of humor. "I'll do my best to keep Trini safe."  
  
"I know you will. Okay, I get going. I'll see you tomorrow. You need me to pick you up?"  
  
"I think one trip to the airport a day is enough. Trini and I will make our way home." Jason said with a grin.  
  
"Okay, see you soon. Call if you need a ride."   
  
"Thanks, I will. Bye."  
  
Jason hung up the phone with a goofy grin that he couldn't quite get rid of even as he ordered dinner. After some thought, he joined Trini in the bathroom.  
  
Immersed in wonderfully scented bubbles, Trini looked so deliciously wonderful that Jason almost forgot to breath. Her face was relaxed for the first time in many hours. Her hair was slicked back, not a strain distracted from her peaches and cream beauty. She was like some strange fantasy he had as a teenager come true. God, I'm a lucky bastard to have her in my life.  
  
"So what did Tommy want?" Trini asked as she opened one eye.   
  
"The guys are coming tomorrow. He wants Kim to move in with him so he's buying a house. And apparently you scared Kim."  
  
"I scared...." She narrowed her eye then shook her head. "Oh god, she's crazy."  
  
"I'm dangerous for you huh?" He knelt by the bath and trailed a finger in the water.   
  
"Only in Kim's mind. My lovers generally make her nervous, given my record and all." Trini smiled and played with his big strong hands. "You want to join me?"  
  
"Don't think I'm not tempted."  
  
"So...."  
  
"You're a horrible woman." As he unbutton his white shirt to join her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Newark International Airport  
Newark, New Jersey  
  
"New York, New York, it's a wonderful town!" Zack sang as he skipped down the terminal with a joyous laugh and dancing feet that hardly touched the ground.   
  
Billy laughed and followed, pulling his carry on and laptop with good cheer.  
  
Tanya joined her fellow happy travelers in a heartfelt, if off-key, chorus of New York, New York with a laugh. "You know that someone is going to try to arrest us for disturbing the peace or something."  
  
"Not unless they are completely blind to the fact that I'm floating on air, my dear." Zack said making another spin on the tips of his heels. The man can dance better than any one of them had ever seen. It was like God had created the man to entertain the world with his jovial smile and quick stepping soles.   
  
Aisha followed the others with slightly more sobering thought. It had all been well and good deciding on coming here when they were thousands of miles away from this place and the one person Aisha really did not have the courage to face up to. But it was quite nothing thing to know that she really was here, in the same vicinity as Rocky Descantos, the man that stole her heart and road away into the sunset with it.   
  
"Why the glum face?" Billy asked as he pulled the straps of his laptops leather case higher. He had never noticed just how heavy a six-pound laptop could be when carried for hours on end. "We're a state where happiness defines life cause we're got that that we love here."  
  
"I know," she forced a smile for him. "I'm just..."  
  
"Concern over the first meeting?" he guess with a smile. "Don't worry. If Rocky is tactless, we'll sic Tanya on him."  
  
She laughed. She could always count on her friends to help her through no better what they thought of the situation. "Do you think that he'd be...."  
  
"What?"   
  
"You know," she made a helpless gesture. "Uncomfortable with me?"  
  
"If you're like this with him, then yes, he's definitely going to be uncomfortable cause he's going to conclude that he's making you nervous, which he is. But if you just merely see him as friend again, I'm sure that...."  
  
"Everything will be normal? I don't think so, Billy. It's not that easy." Aisha smiled. "Rocky and I... We're just the same anymore."  
  
"I know." Billy shook his head in sympathy. "But look at it this way, this could be a new start for the both of you."  
  
"A new start?"  
  
"Yeah," he nodded his head. "You haven't seen each other in what? Four, five years now?"  
  
"Four years seven months."  
  
He raised one brow at that but said nothing. "For all you know, he's perfectly fine with all this."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Who knows how people react to former lovers? But Rocky was a friend before he was anything to you. The last thing he would want for you is for you to be unhappy with the prospect of seeing him again."  
  
Aisha nodded her head in agreement. Rocky was always considerate of her feelings. "He was my frist you know."  
  
That surprised him. "He was your first boyfriend?"  
  
"No, my first first." She gave him a significant look.  
  
"Oh." He had thought that he had heard wrong but he guessed not. If Rocky was Aisha's first, then no wonder she was so...."  
  
"Hey, Billy! Is this yours?" Zack asked as he pointed at a big luggage on the carrier.   
  
"Yeah," he pointed to another. "And that one too."  
  
While Zack and Tanya grabbed the luggage, Aisha took a moment to compose herself. She never told anyone and have no idea why she just told Billy. Rocky had been her first and only. There had never been anyone since that night. Sure, she's been out with other men since then but none of them had ever made her feel...right. Something was always missing in the equation that never allowed her to take it to the next level. It was so confusing.  
  
"New start, Aisha." She muttered to herself. This could be a new start for her and Rocky and she was going to make the best of it.   
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Cause family you may be, but this is still my life."  



	29. Getting Together

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: This one is for everyone that ever loved Trini and Jason together. I don't care who you are or whether or not you like my stories, thank you, thank you, thank you.   
  
Note: This story has gotten to a point where I'm not sure what's going to happen next. I keep trying to turn it toward one direction and that doesn't seem to want to work too well for me. So bare with me as I see where this story is going to take you and me. Thanks for all the encouragements that I get with every review.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Twenty-Nine  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I know that you said that the house was great but you guys didn't tell me that it was a freakin mansion!" Zack exclaimed as he made the tour of the three story Victorian house. "What do you guy keep around here?"  
  
"Whatever Jason wants." Adam answered, happy to see his predecessor. "He had the place pretty much furnished by the time we got here. The man wanted the place to be a home, all we really added was a couple of warm bodies."  
  
"Damn, if I wasn't traveling so much, I'd move here and..."  
  
"Sorry," Rocky grinned. "But this house only houses five bedrooms and they are all filled."  
  
"But Trini has a guest room." Zack pointed out with lightning flash reason. "And I'm sure she won't mind allow me to stay there a while whenever I come a calling."  
  
"True."  
  
The men laughed, happy to be together again. Old friends had that special bond that time can never eliminate and old Rangers have the shared experience that no one can replace. It was a good time for them all. They wanted to get together for sometime now but with everyone in different cities and schedules being unpredictable, that hasn't happened. It was strange how life turns out. Just when everyone thought that they would be parted forever, life decided that it was time to reunite old friends.   
  
"You know, Rocky," Zack said as they climbed to the third floor toward Billy's room, as he started to settle in. "I've been talking to Aisha and..."  
  
Rocky groaned. "Please tell me that she's not mad at me cause I not sure if..."  
  
"Relax," Zack patted him on the back. "She's about as nervous about this meeting as you appear to be. So... you and her are going to get a chance to be in a crowd settling before being alone. The ladies will be coming here for dinner, if I understand the plan. And we're going to drink until we..."  
  
"No drinking." Rocky said firmly. "I will not drink with that woman around."  
  
"Geeze, you make it sound so bad." Adam laughed. "I'll make sure you are not so intoxicated that we need to drag you off to bed. I'll make sure that you don't make an ass of yourself."  
  
"You don't think it's a little late for that?" Rocky asked with reproach. "Monte Carlo was probably the lowest I've ever fallen." He sighed. Damn it! The last thing I ever wanted was for her to be nervous around me. We've been too good of friends and too long of friends for me to be that stupid. But what did I do? Get her drunk and seduced her. I'm a damn pig!  
  
"Hello? Earth to Rocky!"   
  
He blushed. "Sorry, didn't mean to faze out on you there."  
  
"Don't worry. We totally understand." Zack and Adam exchange amused glances. If nothing else, this would prove to be an entertaining week for everyone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"So?"  
  
"So what?" Trini asked as she put the stack of papers into her desk and locked it before turning back to the half emptied suitcase still filled with a few law books and enough documents to wallpaper the entire floor. "I just need to get this stuff put away and then leave. I'm going to have to come in tomorrow and present the entire case again to the senior partners here. It's going to be a nightmare.  
  
"Trini the old gang will be here by now. I would like to go home and shower. Just put the stuff down and lets go. Tomorrow morning will be soon enough to organize all that."  
  
"I know," she sighed. "I guess I'm just a little antsy and..."  
  
"Why?" Jason asked with a curious eye.  
  
She blinked. "Why what?"  
  
"Why are you antsy?"  
  
She frowned. "You do remember that Billy has always been very good about picking up on my moods. You know that he's probably going to figure out this thing between the two of us. And now me and my big mouth had to open them to Kimberly, who immediate told her boyfriend, who can't keep a secret to save his life." She shook her head. "Except the whole Power Ranger thing but that's different. By tonight, everyone is going to know that I'm sleeping with someone and by the time Billy talks to me and you, he's going to figure out that we've been sleeping together and you can just imagine the...."  
  
"Trini," Jason grabbed her by the shoulders. "You're babbling."  
  
"Sorry," she shook her head. "I'm so tired."  
  
"I know. I can see that." The dark circles were forming under her eyes. "I want you to put down those book and come with me. I'll drop you off so you don't have to drive home. I'll even pick you up tomorrow morning for work. Then you're going to go take a shower and take a nap so that when the interrogation begins tonight, you can go into lawyer mode and deflect all the well-meaning inquiries. Okay?"  
  
She smiled. He was also so calm when she was losing it. "Sounds good to me." Leaning up on tiptoes, she kissed him softly. "You are very good with handling slightly unhinged women, you know that."  
  
"No, I've hardly had the occasion to test that theory." He smiled. "Now let's go."  
  
She mockingly saluted him. "Yes, sir."   
  
"You pain in the..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay, so tell me about Vegas." Billy said with a grin on his face big enough to show that the wine served at the wonderful dinner that Trini and the ladies cooked was beginning to affect the usually sober man.   
  
Trini and Jason had come back to his place straight from the office. The gang had all been gathered in force.   
  
"It was crazy," Trini said taking a sip of the juice. She had declined any alcohol due to some unknown reason. She hadn't felt any desire to consume the stuff in quite some time now. "One more day with the weasel brothers and I was going to murder someone."  
  
"Weasel brother?" Adam laughed. "Is that the legal term for opponents these days?"  
  
"Hey, you didn't see these guys. If they thought throwing legal nonsense at me was going to scare me off, they had something all together stupid coming to them." She said as she sat down on the couch next to Jason, who moved so that his arm was casually draped over the back of the sofa behind her head.   
  
"So are you going to have to go back for the civil case?" Tanya asked with her face all bright from the excite of actually being there with her friends all together for the first time in a long time. "And one thing I don't understand, I thought you needed a state license to practice law."  
  
"You do." Trini nodded her head.  
  
"Same with architects right?" Billy pointed out.  
  
"Yeah," Jason nodded and took a sip of the fine red wine that Tommy had somehow gotten a hold of. "And I do have one for Nevada."  
  
"And New York?"  
  
He nodded again. "And Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, Indiana, New Jersey, California, Mississippi, and Arizona."  
  
"Trini?" Tanya turned to her fellow former yellow ranger.  
  
"I have a bar licenses for California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, New Hampshire, Maryland, New Jersey, and Wyoming."  
  
"Wyoming?" Zack asked with a funny look on his face. "Why cow country?"  
  
"Cause I was thinking of moving there for a while."  
  
"Why would you want to do that?"  
  
Kimberly laughed. "Cause Trini had an ex-fiancé that was from that area." She shook her head and held her glass our for Tommy to refill. "Turns out that guy was a even bigger freak than the state in which he came from."  
  
Trini snorted with amusement. "It should have told me something when he insisted on sleeping with Mimi's cat?"  
  
"Mimi?" Jason asked with a curious look.  
  
"My old roommate. Got married a little over three months ago."  
  
"See," Tommy laughed. "This is why I'm not a cat person."  
  
"Oh, you're definitely a dog." Aisha said with a grin.   
  
Rocky looked over. It was the first time all night that Aisha volunteered any kind of comment. She had been as subdued as he had been all evening. He wasn't sure what he's reaction should have been at seeing her after all these years, but the gut wrenching, heart stopping, light headed sensation was not what he expected. God, she is beautiful. Like the African Goddess of the winds. He knew he was in trouble when he started to be poetic.   
  
Jason was laughing at something Tommy said in reply. "So, Trini. I have all the license cause the company I worked with sent us to national locations. What's your excuse?"  
  
"I was searching for a place to settle down," she smiled and tossed some popcorn at Kimberly who was laughing. "I moved around a lot before settling here."  
  
"Including Arizona and Texas?"  
  
"Even cow counties need lawyers too." She retorted.   
  
"I completely agree." Zack nodded his head. "Everyone needs a profession that can be applied all over the country." He grinned. "So Trini, could you handle my contract again this year?"  
  
Trini rolled her eyes. "Send it to me."  
  
"You are the best." Zack said as he picked up the bowl of grapes in Billy's lap. "Hey, don't you handle Billy's contracts as well?"  
  
"Yes," she smiled sweetly at the bespectacled genius. "By the way, how's the Johnson account coming along?"  
  
Billy groaned and shook his head. "Man, if that man knows the difference between a mother board and a chess board, I'd be shocked!"  
  
Adam laughed and spit soda over the coffee table. "Oh come on, I'm sure it's not that bad."  
  
"You didn't see this guys security system."  
  
Aisha had been taking peeks at Rocky all evening. He hadn't changed much over the years. Still the same boyish grin that made her heart flutter like butterflies in the fields. He still had the dimple that appeared when he smiled and laughed. And god, this body! The boy hasn't change much in that respect. Still the same chiseled body that made her want to forget that they are friends and just jump his..."  
  
"Aisha and I will be going into Rowanda and...."  
  
"Are you two crazy?" Adam asked with disbelief. "The outbreaks of AIDS have been getting worse and worse over there in the past year alone."  
  
"We're going there to help with the Red Cross, not pick out our future husbands." Tanya said with a laugh. "I don't think sex is going to be a problem. I can't even remember the last time that I've been on a decent date that didn't include me having to argue the points of third world counties."  
  
"You poor thing," Trini leaned over Jason's lap and patted Tanya's hand. "I'll take you clubbing this week and you can go catch yourself a cute guy for the night, okay?"  
  
"You were always so good to me," she grinned knowing that Trini was playing with her. "So how's your sex life been?" Tanya had been given the load down this afternoon, along with Aisha, on the happenings and troubles in Trini's life before the lady of the house herself returned from her extended business trip.   
  
"Better than it's been in a while," Trini answered, slanting a look to Kimberly who blushed and shrugged her shoulders. "But that's not too important."  
  
"Trini," Tanya smiled at her, completely ignoring Jason who sat there rather amused by the fact that the ladies were talking over and through him as if he wasn't even there. "You know that we are going to..."  
  
"Stay out of my personal business." She stated with conviction as she picked up the remote of the stereo laying next to Jason. "Cause family you may be, but this is still my life."  
  
"With us watching out for you every step of the way," Tommy pointed out. "What are you doing?"  
  
Trini smiled at him. "I'm turning on some music to lighten the mood a little in there, and to drown you guys out. I want to dance and sing and be happy because my nearest and dearest are all together under the same roof for the moment."  
  
Rocky turned to Adam with a laugh. "Did you hear that? She called us family."  
  
"I'm the only one that can pass as her anything." Adam pointed out.   
  
"Oh I don't know," Zack knelt by Trini's leg. "I think I see some resemblance between us."  
  
Trini laughed.  
  
"Here let me," Jason said taking the remote for her and clicking to a song that he desperately hoped that she hears and understood. Tossing aside the remote, he pulled her to her feet. "Dance with me."  
  
"Why of course," she laughed, wrapping her arms around him with delight.  
  
Kimberly shrugged and held out her hand to Tommy, who didn't hesitate to wait for the music to start.  
  
The others watched, rather fascinated, as their four friends danced slowly to a song that none of them fully understood. Zack was amused that Tommy was not too great of a dancer. Aisha and Rocky watched with undisguised envy at the obvious love that the former pink and white ranger expressed so openly. Tanya and Adam both felt their best friends were fools to deny what everyone else could see as clear as crystal glass, they were in love and in denial. They were idiots. Only Billy watched Jason and Trini, only he wondered at what was going on.  
  
A che serve piangere  
Rinunciare a vivere  
Resta qua se ti va  
Non pensare abbracciami  
Lasciami sognare  
La tua pelle morbida  
Voglio accarezzare  
E finechè non avrò  
Anche l'anima  
Lo sarò sempre sulla tua scia  
Non puoi fuggire  
Perchè sei mia  
Perchè ti voglio  
Perchè mi vuoi  
Un mondo se apre  
Intorno a noi  
  
E se vorrai crederlo  
Lo sarò l'angleo  
Che non ti abbandonerà  
Quando sul tuo viso  
Non vedrà risplendere  
Dolce il tuo sorriso  
E finchè non avrò  
Ache l'anima  
Lo sarò sempre sulla tua scia  
Non puoi fuggire  
Perchè sei mia  
Perchè ti voglio  
Perchè mi vuoi  
Tutto sarai per me  
  
Perchè ti voglio  
Perchè mi vuoi  
Un mondo se apre intorno a noi  
Un mondo se apre intorno a noi  
  
(What's the use of crying  
And denying what you feel  
Stay here if you will  
But don't think, just hold me  
Let me dream  
Of your velvet skin  
Skin that I yearn to caress  
And for as long as   
You're unable to give yourself   
I shall never give up trying  
It's pointless to run away  
Because you're mine  
Because I want you  
And because you want me  
There's a whole world there for the taking  
And it's opening up around us  
  
And if it makes you happy  
I shall be your guardian angel  
Never, ever to leave you  
Even when I cannot see   
Your sweet smile  
Lighting up your face  
And for as long as   
You're unable to give yourself  
I shall never give up trying  
It's pointless to run away  
Because you're mine  
Because I want you  
And because you want me  
You'll be everything to me  
  
Because I want you  
And because you want me  
There's a whole world opening up around us  
There's a whole world opening up around us)  
  
Trini's Italian was rusty; it's been years since her journey through Italy and the Peace Conference. Plus, her skills at second languages were never as strong as Jason's was. But she knew enough to recognize most of the words and piece together the meaning. "That's a dirty trick." She whispered into his ear.  
  
"Whatever works," he grinned and watched the others over her shoulder. "But if it's any consolation, the others are not watching us, just the other two."  
  
"That's something." Then suddenly clutched his shoulders for support.  
  
Jason looked at her sharply. "What's the matter?"  
  
She shook her head. "I need to sit down now."  
  
He helped her to a chair.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" Aisha asked as she watched Jason lower Trini slowly with a seriously concerned look in his eyes. "What's the matter?"  
  
"Light headed, that's all," Trini forced a smile for their benefit. "I think all the nights of not sleeping is catching up to me."  
  
"I'm not surprised, you're looking rather pale all evening." Billy said as he handed her a glass of water. "I remember you complaining about all night work to prepare for cases."  
  
She smiled and traded a quick glance with Jason. "I think I'll call it a night now."  
  
"I'll drive you back," Jason offered.   
  
"Thanks."   
  
"Why don't we all call it a night?" Kimberly suggested as she picked up the glasses lying about. "Billy, you and Zack can come on over tomorrow and take my car for the day. You guys can go sight seeing while we're all work. Trini and I can..."  
  
"My car is still at the office." Trini said with an apologetic smile. "Jason drove me back cause I was too tired to drive."  
  
"Oh," Kimberly frowned, reworking the idea in her head. "Well..."  
  
"Kim," Tommy interjected with a smile. "I'll pick you and Trini up tomorrow morning and drop you guys off at work so that..."  
  
"I can pick them up," Jason suggested. "Trini and I work at the same building. It'll be easier."  
  
"But Tommy is closer to my place," Kimberly pointed out.  
  
"Guys, guys!" Zack rolled his eyes. "For a couple of smart people, you guys are all insane. Tommy, since you and Kim are sleeping together anyways, pack a bag and go over there for the night." That earned him a look from the couple. "Trini, you still have your truck in Jason's car, right? Just stay the night and go with Jason tomorrow morning. You look ready to drop anyways. Aisha and Tanya can pick Billy and me up tomorrow morning." He looked around. "That work for everyone?"  
  
"Where exactly am I supposed to sleep?" Trini asked knowing that where she's like to sleep was completely off limits to her tonight, unless she wanted everyone to know. "Billy has got his new room and Zack has the futon..."  
  
"My room," Tommy offered. "It's clean and I swear that I have no strange fungus growing under the bed."  
  
"Jason would kill you if you did," Adam pointed out with a laugh. "Looks like we have a plan then."  
  
"Great," Kimberly gave Tommy a quick shove. "Go get your things."  
  
"Eager, isn't she?" Tanya teased then ducked to avoid the incoming couch cushion.  
  
The others laughed as Tommy headed for the stairs. Everyone pitched in to help clean up. Aisha grabbed the big bowls still half full with potato chips.   
  
"Aisha?"  
  
Her head snapped around. "Rocky!"  
  
He smiled. "It's good to see you again. I've been waiting all evening to tell you that."  
  
"Thanks," she relaxed under his casual gaze. "It's good to see you again too. You look...good." The biggest understatement of the year. He looked good enough to eat alive.  
  
"So do you," he wasn't about to admit to imagining her in nothing but the red dress she worse the evening that they... "This is awkward, isn't it?"  
  
She gave him a pathetically helpless smile. "Yeah, it is."  
  
"What are we going to do, Sha?" He looked at her with those soft puppy-dog eyes that had her heart doing double time. "We were friends for so long and now we can't even talk to each other with wanting to trip over our words."  
  
"I know," she sighed, not sure what she was suppose to do now. It was all so confusing. "Maybe we should talk or something."  
  
"Yeah, I think that might be a good idea." He grinned rather weakly for a moment. "Of course knowing Adam, he's probably going to weasel out whatever is being said from me at a later date."  
  
She laughed. "You think Tanya is going to be any different?"  
  
"We have nosy friends."  
  
"We have caring friends."  
  
He nodded. "I know."  
  
"Aisha! Let's go!" Tanya called from outside the front door. "Kim and Tommy look ready to crawl over each other right in the front seat."  
  
"TANYA!" Kimberly laughed as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"I better get going before one of the others decide to kill Tanya." She smiled. "We'll talk soon."  
  
"Soon," he nodded his head and hesitantly held out his arms. "I missed you."  
  
She bit her lip and risked it. Stepping into his arms, it was like coming home. "I miss you too."  
  
He gave her a quick squeeze before letting go, afraid he would step over the line again. "I'll see you soon."  
  
Aisha nodded her head and took a deep breath. "Soon."  
  
"Good night."  
  
"Good night."  
  
Neither one moved.  
  
"AISHA!"  
  
"Bye," said breathlessly then headed out the door.  
  
Rocky stood there watching her for a long moment. "Bye." This was going to be more difficult than he anticipated.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"So?"  
  
"So what?" Aisha replied as she got her feet under the covers. The eery green from the fish tank did nothing to help rather strange mood.  
  
"You could take Trini's room you know, I'm sure she won't mind." Tanya said with as she got into the sofa bed beside her friend.   
  
"No, I'm use to this by now." She sighed and settle down for the night.  
  
"So?" Tanya asked again.  
  
"So what?"  
  
Tanya was tempted to hit Aisha with something. "What did you and Rocky talk about those few seconds you were alone?"  
  
"Nothing." Her head was all jumbled with stuff she could potentially talk to him about but lord knows that that's going to take a whole lot of courage that she wasn't sure she had. How did life get so complicated so quickly?  
  
"Come on..."  
  
"We agreed that we were going to have to talk about it." Aisha said as she sat up. "We agreed that we were not getting along as two old friends should. We agreed that this was awkward. And we agreed that we have very nosy best friends."  
  
"Oh," Tanya nodded then looked offended. "What do you mean 'nosy'?"  
  
Aisha grinned  
  
~~~~~  
  
"You think that girls are okay down there?" Kimberly asked as she snuggled closer to Tommy. She definitely had to get a bigger bed if this was to be a normal regular occurrence. He was much too big for her little full size bed with all the pick ruffles.   
  
"This is hardly roughen it." Tommy said as he tightened his hold on her. "You need to stop worrying."  
  
"I just want them to be comfortable." She said with a smile. "Don't you want your friends to be comfortable when they are visiting us?"  
  
"Absolutely, too bad it's not our home that they're visiting."  
  
"What are you talking about?"   
  
"Nothing," no reason to tell her about it until everything was set. "I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"Did you notice anything different about Trini and Jason?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean," he paused, not sure how to phrase it. "There is just something a little different about the way they were acting tonight."  
  
"Different good or different bad?"   
  
"Different good." He nodded to himself. "Definitely good. They seem more at ease with one another than they had been before, not that they was every any tension. But tonight, there just seem to be something almost calm about those two, like they worked out something between them."  
  
"I guess,": Kimberly shifted away from him so she could took into his eyes. "Look at the way Jason asked Trini to dance tonight, it was almost...natural."  
  
"Natural?" Testing the word in his mouth.  
  
"Yeah, like they've done it before or something." She frowned. "You think Jason talked to Trini about her guy problem and she confided in him or something?"  
  
"Maybe. Jason was also very good at helping others with their problems. I don't see why he won't do the same for Trini."  
  
Kim nodded her head. "Plus they just spent the last two weeks in each other's company almost every waking hour of the day."  
  
"Bound to make two people more at ease with one another."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Right."   
  
"We should stop thinking about this now and go to sleep."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Nite."  
  
"Good-night."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Trini frowned down at the little compact shaped pill case in her hand. All twenty-eight pills had been consumed and still nothing. She was starting a new pack of birth control pills tonight but she still hadn't gotten her period yet. She knew that the stress of the past week would have no doubt effected her menstrual cycle and she should really wait until it came to start the new pack. But she didn't like the effect it would have on her body if she were to go off the pill now.   
  
"Decisions, decisions," she sighed before popping the little white pill from the plastic holder and swallowing it whole. She did not want to be off the pill. If that meant having to wait a month to get her period, why should she complain? It was a messy pain in the butt anyways.   
  
A soft knock on her door had Trini rushing to it. She knew who would be the only one to come knocking at this hour of the night. "What took you so long?"  
  
Jason raised one brow at her. "I'm sorry. Were you expecting me?"  
  
"Why of course," she grinned. "Me sleeping under the same roof as you and you not at least attempting to get into my bed, that would shock me to no end."  
  
"I'm so predictable, am I?" He grinned before pulled her into his arms and kissing that wonderfully sweet mouth.   
  
"Only for someone like me." She threaded her fingers through his thick hair. "I'm a woman of logic. You are a young health man who has gotten sex quite regularly for some time now. For you to give it up, even for a night, when opportunity is here would not be a logical turn of events."  
  
He shook his head. "Why do I bother questioning you when everything that comes our of your mouth is done so to confuse me?"  
  
"I don't know," she said with a laugh but stopped him when he moved to set her on the bed. "Hold it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause I don't think Tommy would appreciate it coming home to find his bed smelling of sex."   
  
Jason laughed but quickly shut up when he realized that they could be overheard by any of the number of people living under this roof at the moment. "Okay, how do you want to do this?"  
  
Trini shrugged. "The usual way. I'm going to shut the bathroom door so that should anyone decide to check up on me in the morning they'll think I'm in there. Then I'm going to mess up the blanket and hide the pillows so that someone looking in the middle of the night is going to assume that I'm in bed in the dark."  
  
"Why do I have a feeling you've done this before?"   
  
"Not at all." She adjusted the blankets. "My roommate in college was a pro at this and taught me all the techniques on how to fool a dorm mother." She grabbed his hand and looked out the door.   
  
"We're the only ones on this floor." He explained with much amusement. "My other three roommates are on the third floor and Zack is in the family room."  
  
"Good," she shut the door of his room and locked it. Her mouth closed over his as she pulled his head toward her with one hand.   
  
"Hum..." He tasted her toothpaste and took in the scent of the soap she used to bathe in. She was all warm and soft to his touch, go wonderfully giving that he knew not how to breath.   
  
Trini pulled him toward her, wanting to bury herself in his warmth and wonderful male scent. He was all hard muscles and smooth skin. His body felt like steel wrapped in velvet, so incredibly strong but so easy to the touch. His big blunt hands caressed her, making her shiver in need.  
  
He maneuvered her to the bed, wanting to see her in all that wonderful smooth satin. He wanted to see her in his bed, as if she belonged there. Her little competent hands fluttered over his bare shoulders, testing the strength there. He trailed kissed down her throat and wished for this night to never end.  
  
She felt the weight of him on her so wonderfully reassuring. He was so incredibly gentle with her. She could feel his need pressing against her, taste his sweet passion on her lips, and feel his love deep in her heart with every touch he gave to her. He loved her. He loves me. "Oh god." Her heart contracted at the realization of all its truth.  
  
He could feel her body against his as she reached for his head, pulling his mouth away from her skin to look into his eyes as if trying to read something in them. "What is it?"  
  
Her mouth closed desperately over his for an implausible moment. Then she pulled back, her eyes bright in the moonlight. "I've never felt like this."  
  
Jason smiled softly at her. "I'm glad that I please you." Then he kissed her nose and cheeks and eyes and every part of her face he could touch.   
  
Her breath came haltingly as she allowed herself to feel everything he had to offer. "Jason." Her eyes closed as he nibbled on her ear, his hands molding her body to his. "Oh God, Jason. I love you."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Okay, I think that last sentence is enough of a teaser line.   



	30. Midnight Confessions

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: This one is for Faith who threatened me with lots of pain if I don't get this chapter out by Monday. You know that I value your opinion but it's kind of hard to write when you've got a hammer over my head. :) Keep making me do this so that I don't gone insane, okay?   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay, talk Billy." Zack sighed and sat up from the surprisingly comfortable futon. He had fully expected to want to kill the piece after ten minutes but it was Billy's suddenly appearance in the family room that had Zack up and awake. "Talk so we can both get some sleep."  
  
"And what makes you think that I have anything to say?" Billy sat down in an armchair and sighed, allowing his back to arrange itself into a comfortable position.   
  
"Oh please," Zack rolled his eyes and leaned his elbows on his knees. "You and I may have very little in common to the causal observer but you and me have been through hell and back together. From Rita Repulsa to the SATs, so spill."  
  
"Kat called me a couple of days ago."   
  
"Still hung up on her, huh?" Zack grin bloomed suddenly on his face. At Billy's shocked look and blushing face, he knew he hit the nail on the head. "I knew it."  
  
"How?" Billy took a deep breath and willed himself to not turn into a tomato.   
  
"The usual way, through the way you talked about her. The e-mails and letters you wrote me while I was in Europe painted a story that was pretty easy to guess. I'm surprise you never told Tommy or any of the others."   
  
"Oh, come on." Billy shook his head. "Everyone saw that Kat was hung up on Tommy. And for some unexplainable reason, Jason and the others thought that Trini and I were... you know."  
  
Zack tried desperately to hide the smile. "Well, actually... I thought so too."  
  
"Why?" He wanted to know. "Trini and I have never had anything like that and it's not like she and I flirted or dated."  
  
"Yeah but she's the only one around that ever understood half of what you said."  
  
"That's because she gets me." Billy pointed out logically. "A highly intelligent woman, with an almost perfect SAT score, can understand the basic meaning behind my elaborately filled sentences."   
  
"Well, we knew that you guys were not dating, it was just that we all assume that you felt something for her. I mean, Trini looks at the world through rosy eyes and pretty much abandoned her love life for a life of saving the world. But you...."  
  
"Had my head bury in books and computers most of the time." He smiled at him as if he had just pointed out the big fat red x on a treasure map. "Not too hard to understand why I didn't say anything to anyone about Kat."  
  
"So?" Zack grinned. "What are you going to do about it?"  
  
"What's there to do?"  
  
"Billy, smart boy like you should know that you should always go after what you want in life." He sighed and leaned back on the bed. "We've all moved on in our lives since our trek with Zordan and the Power Rangers. I've got a career of my dreams and a girl that I think I can seriously be in love with. The others all have pretty much what they want out of life. You have a good job that allows you lots of mobility and freedom. Don't waste that!"  
  
Billy sighed. "What if she..."  
  
"No what if's, just what could be." Zack sighed. "You think too much Billy. Stop thinking and start living."  
  
Billy grinned suddenly. "You do realize that you're talking to a guy that went into outer space at the age of 18 and had a rather interest love affair with a alien scientist, right?"  
  
Zack looked blankly at him for a second then frowned. "Oh brother!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"You want to talk about it?" Tanya asked into the darkness.  
  
"About what?" Aisha muttered, not at all surprised that her friend knew that she wasn't asleep yet. Tanya was always pretty good at gagging her moods.  
  
"You and Rocky."  
  
"No particularly."  
  
Tanya nodded. "You know that I tease and tease you about that night, but if there is anything that I can do for you to...make it better. You know that all you have to do is say the word and I'll beat the shit out of him for you."  
  
Aisha laughed, laughed hard enough that her stomach hurt from it. "Oh god."  
  
"I'm not joking you know." Tanya said sitting up, looking at Aisha seriously.  
  
"I know, I know." She sat up and leaned her arms on her upraised knees. "Oh god, I know that you mean well."  
  
"Then what's so funny about it?" her brows furrowed in confusion.  
  
Aisha shook her head. "Nothing, it's just that Rocky is probably going to be rather curious as to why you would try to beat him to a pulp when I was the one that jumped him."  
  
Tanya stared at her as if she had grown another head. "I'm sorry, come again?"  
  
With a sigh that was heart felt and came deep from a weary heart, Aisha flopped back on the bed. "I jumped him. I pushed him on the bed and basically took complete and unabashed advantage of the boy. I used him as if he was a steed horse that..."  
  
"Okay, okay, too much information there," covering her ears.  
  
"Well, you wanted to know. You wanted to hear what was the..."  
  
"Not the details, girl. Just the emotional side of things."   
  
"Emotions," Aisha sighed. "There's the big problem of human life. We have too many emotions to contend with in life."  
  
"And not nearly enough experience to handle them all."   
  
"Amen to that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Adam grinned rather unabashedly. "You know, that far away dazed look is becoming quite a habit of yours."  
  
Rocky jumped at the sound of his voice. "For god sakes Adam, you trying to give me a heart attack or something?"  
  
He couldn't have been more amused by Rocky's reaction if the man had come right now and admit to the crime of thinking much too much of a certain former yellow ranger that they grew up with. "If you didn't want to be disturbed out of your reveries, you shouldn't have left your door open like this. Besides which, I've been standing here for the past ten minutes waiting for you to acknowledge my presence. But apparently, you're mind was miles away from this place." Adam was hard pressed not to tease him just a little. "Or maybe it's about three blocks away."  
  
"You're a real pain in the neck you know that?" Rocky pointed out as he flopped onto his bed. "I thought dcotor's are suppose to be compassionate about illnesses."  
  
"Is that what it is? An illness?" Adam asked as she sat down Indian style on the floor. "Cause the illness of the heart can be cure with a little confession. Much like purging of the soul to a Catholic."  
  
Rocky started at the ivory ceiling with its spinning fanlight. "If it were only that easy."   
  
Adam took some pity on the man. Love was such a confusing subject for simply the causal observer, those that are entrenched in it probably found it even harder to figure out what is actually happening to themselves. "Talk to me, my friend. Just let some of that hardship out."  
  
Rocky threw him a look. "Don't try to psycho analyze me, Adam. I'm in no mood for you to be paying amateur counselor."  
  
"How about for me to play a good friend that can tell that this is eating you up inside out?"   
  
He sighed. "I'm sorry. This thing with Aisha is just making me..."  
  
"Rocky, you need to talk to her. You need to figure out what is going on between the two of you." Adam frowned, seeing the uncertain look in his friend's eyes. "You are going to talk to her, right?"  
  
"Soon," Rocky nodded and continue to stare at the ceiling fan. "We agreed that we would talk soon. This can't continue like this. We've been friends too long to simply let this... whatever this is, get in the way of that." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I don't know if I can live with not having her in my life."  
  
"Are you in love with her?" Adam asked in his usual hit the problem where it hurts the most attitude.  
  
Rocky was silent for a moment. "I don't know."  
  
"When was the last time you went out of a date?"  
  
"Too long."  
  
"When was the last time you had sex?"   
  
With raised brow, Rocky leaned on his elbow and turned to look at his friend. "What is this? Twenty questions?"  
  
"Just answer it." Adam said with all seriousness.  
  
"Even longer than my last date."  
  
"Want to play word association?"  
  
"Not particularly," Rocky grinned before flopping on to his back again. "Go ahead, play with my head."  
  
"Okay," Adam sat up a little straighter and got serious. "First thing that comes to mind, okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"Yeah, just get on with it."  
  
"Sun."  
  
"Moon."  
  
"Rain."  
  
"Umbrella."  
  
"Boy."  
  
Rocky snorted. "Man."  
  
"Space."  
  
"Billy."  
  
"Death."   
  
"Zedd."  
  
Adam rolled his eyes. "Daisies."  
  
"Aisha."  
  
That almost got Adam laughing. "Car."  
  
"Truck."  
  
"Door."  
  
"Out." Rocky grinned.  
  
Adam frowned. "Blue."  
  
"Justin."  
  
That was a surprise. "Green."  
  
"Envy."  
  
"Time."  
  
"Lost."  
  
"Yellow."  
  
"Aisha."  
  
"Dog."  
  
"Greyhound."  
  
"Life."  
  
"Breathe."  
  
"Woman."  
  
"Aisha."  
  
"Cake."  
  
"Trini."  
  
Adam did laugh then.   
  
Rocky frowned and turned to him. "Are you supposed to laugh at my answers?"  
  
"Sorry. Let me try that again. Jungle."  
  
"Forest."  
  
"Anger."  
  
"Sadness."  
  
"Happiness."  
  
"Monte Carlo."  
  
Adam decided to risk being killed. "Love."  
  
Rocky was silent.  
  
"Rocky?"  
  
"I can't."  
  
Adam nodded his head with understanding and got up slowly. "Good night, my friend. I think you have a lot to consider."  
  
Rocky sighed. "Yeah, apparently I do."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Katherine Hallard's Residence  
58 Pondarosa Road  
Sydney, Australia  
  
Kat was never a very fanciful person. She knew that the turns and twists of life was something she had to contend with. It was not hard for her to understand the little hardships and even less hard for her to become accustom to changes in life.   
  
For most of her life, she's had to deal with frequent moves and lots of good-byes. Angel Grove was the first time she got to settle down and actually acquire some real friends. Perhaps it was her age, wiser than she had been as a child to understand and accept moves with an easy heart. Angel Grove, her home for so long that she wasn't sure she would ever fit into Australian society again.   
  
And the Power Rangers, such an important part of her life that leaving it behind had been along a hard process that she wasn't sure she could have handled on her own. Tommy, he had been her rock when her world was in limbo. Her search for purpose after the powers had been taken from her. It was so strange to have a normal life after everything....  
  
Maybe normal was not quite the word to describe her life after the Power Rangers or even before. But at least now that everything was settled to some satisfaction... okay, that's not the right word for it either. She sighed and leaned back in her comfortable armchair.   
  
Life was strange this way, she had finally put a lot of the demons of her past to rest and yet she can't seem to be content with life. Her "debt" to Tommy is finally repaid, he was happy with Kimberly, and they were at ease with one another once more. Her heart no longer ached everyday for her lost child, she had come to terms with that and with all the guilt she felt in losing it and her relationship with child's father. She had a great teaching job here in her homeland and she's never been more financially comfortable in her life.   
  
So why is it that she isn't happy?  
  
Life was suppose to be easier then this after the hair-rising experience with the Power Ranger. It isn't suppose to be hard to be happy after fighting everyday for a little peace in life. So why isn't she happy?  
  
She was joking with herself if she said that she really was happy with her lot in life right now. The truth of the matter was, she was lonely. She's never been this lone in her life before. Friends she had plenty of, but not the intimate ones that she had in Angel Grove. Her Power Ranger family.  
  
Perhaps a phone call to Billy may help. Strange how she's gotten to rely on his phone calls to cheer her up, to give her perspective in life. Perhaps she should have taken that job in New York, just to be close to some people that shared... No!   
  
She had made the right decision on that. Tommy needed the ocean between them for his relationship with Kimberly to work. Okay, maybe not but it was a lot easier on them if she was not around to constantly remind Kim of what she shared with Tommy. A part of her always wondered what would have happened had Kimberly not left for the Pan Global Championships. Another part of her wondered if Kim even knew of her relationship with Tommy, the whole truth of it.   
  
Oh, she was driving herself crazy with all these thoughts and questions. She needed something. She needed someone.   
  
God, she needed to call Billy.  
  
Kat picked up the phone before she even realized that she did. But set it down quickly. Billy was in New Jersey with the gang. She couldn't disturb him there. It would be so unfair to him. He deserved this down time with his family. She owed him that, after all the times she's disturbed him in the middle of the night with long talks and a patient ear.  
  
Sweet, wonderful Billy. "I wonder what he's doing right now?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 26, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Oh God, Jason. I love you."  
  
Jason froze, his body refused to obey his mind, which was a good thing since it went completely dead for that one stunned moment. He slowly raised himself onto his arms and looked down at Trini's flushed face, not quite able to believe what his ears had just heard. "Trini?"  
  
She blushed hot then went deadly cold. It hadn't even registered in her mind what she had whispered in the darkness amidst a mind fill with passion. Now that it was out of her mouth, she couldn't take it back. Didn't know if she wanted to take a back. And why the hell would she want to take it back! She knew the truth, knew what it meant.   
  
"Trini? What did you say?" he tried to catch her eyes as she tried to avoid them.   
  
"I..." she pushed gently against him so that she could sit up. She needed to put herself in a better position for this. "I..." she couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight, her heart seemed ten time too big for her ribcage. Her hormones were still in full control of most of her capacities. She needed to be calm and collect for this. But fortunately, her lungs seem to be incapable of collecting enough air to speak, and she appeared to be going to pieces. Real romantic there, Trini. Stupid, stupid girl! Tell him you idiot before he freaks out.  
  
"Sh..." Jason reached out and took her into his arms, desperate to calm her now that he saw that she was in a panic. She hadn't even realized what she said in a moment of mindless.... Oh god Trini, you have no idea what I would give for you to say those words to me, for real. "It's okay. It's all right. I'm not going to press."  
  
She shook her head, willing the tears that were forming in her eyes back. Oh god, this is too much. He's going to think that I... you idiot! "No." She shook her head, trying to calm her racing heart. "Stop." She pushed against him as he tried to pull her toward him. She needed to get the words out, needed to look into his eyes as she said it.  
  
"Trini, just let me hold you." He held on to her as she pushed against him, trying to get away. "I'm not going to push. I'm not going to push you into anything you are not ready for. Just let me hold you for a moment." He was desperate for that. He needed to hold on to her, needed her to not push him away.   
  
"No," she shook her head and tried to put some space between them so she could look up at him. "You don't understand."  
  
"It's okay." He tried to smile at her reassuringly and hugged her tightly to him again, willing her not to say any more. Praying that she doesn't take it back, that she won't break his heart. "I understand that it was just the heat of the moment." As long as he got to pretend it was real in his heart, he would be all right. He could live with that.  
  
"NO!" She shoved against him until she got his full attention. "No, you don't understand." She could feel the tears in her eyes, tears that he didn't understand were not of fear. "I love you!"  
  
Jason wasn't sure if a slap in the face would have stunned him more at this point. "Trini?"  
  
"I....love....you!" she stated simply and slowly, wanting him to hear every word and every meaning behind it. "That's it. It's that simple."  
  
He was slightly taken aback. "Are you sure?"  
  
She threw her arms up. "I won't have said the damn words if I wasn't sure, you silly man."  
  
"Oh," he honestly never felt as lost at that exactly moment as he has in his entire life. He hears the words and want to accept them in his heart as truth but... it hasn't yet registered.  
  
"Oh, shut up, Jason. You're digging yourself into a hole." She laughed and kissed his lips, knowing that he would accept it in time. "I just thought that you would want to know."  
  
He nodded his head rather stupefied. "Can I ask when you decided that you loved me?"  
  
"Sure," she laid back down and pulled him toward her, ready to resume what they were doing until she had given him a blow to the solar plexus.   
  
"Well?" he asked, expectedly as she nibbled on his neck, his body already in full need for her. "When?"  
  
"I can't exactly give you an precise time. But I would say sometime about five minutes ago."  
  
"Really?" He shook his head and pulled back. "Why?"  
  
Trini shrugged her shoulders. "I think it was the bed."  
  
"The bed?"  
  
"Yeah," she dug her nails into his shoulder, feeling the wonderfully sinful sensation of having his obvious arousal pressed against her. "I've never felt so at home in another person's bed as I do in yours. And it doesn't matter what bed it is as long as you are in it."   
  
"So you like the sex that much?"  
  
"The sex is great, but you... you give me so much in here," she touched herself just above the heart. "I can't express what it makes me feel but I know that it's beautiful."  
  
He nodded his head as if in perfect understanding. "I love you."  
  
"I think I just said that."  
  
"Well, I wanted to hear it from your lips again."  
  
"I love you." A little amused at how wonderful those words sounded coming from her own lips and feeling the meaning of it in her heart. Those three little words that she had been so afraid of before, they seem now so unimportant, so unable to express the joy in her heart at being so ... complete.   
  
He smiled rather contently at her.  
  
"Now, can we have hot wild sex?"  
  
Jason almost laughed. "I'm at your command."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Confession time my dearest and you're not getting out of this one."  
  
Okay, I know that I said that I was going to end it soon but I've kind of written myself into a corner when I added Aisha and Rocky storyline. Sorry if this is not going to end for at least a few more chapters. I've got lots of things to resolve.   



	31. Clues

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Know that everyone that reads this story is special to me. I've felt a kind of strange wonder of life since the September 11, tragedies. I went around and hugged everyone I knew and cried myself to sleep at night. I hope that you take the opportunity after reading this to go out and hug your love ones to let them know that they are special in your heart. Thanks everyone for being always there to give me yet another reason to live.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. It's times like this that I really am glad for my gift of being able to write down things, pull me away from the harsh realities of life and give me a few moments of peace in this crazy world of ours.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-One  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"You're up early." Billy said as he yawned and dropped himself in a chair. "Couldn't sleep?"  
  
"Not at all." Trini answered as she whipped up the batter some more and poured out perfect little round droplets onto the skillet. She had to admit, though her kitchen was fully stocked and equipped, it was not nearly as efficient as Jason's, who had designed his with a professional's eye. "I thought I would get up early and make breakfast. I've had enough junk food this past two weeks to last me a lifetime."  
  
Billy smiled. "That bad?"  
  
"You know what food outside are like, all greasy and over seasoned. It's bad for you." She glanced briefly at the pot next to her where oatmeal was being slowly cooked to perfection. "I gain weight just thinking about all the hamburgers that I've consumed."  
  
"As I recall, you use to like burgers with the works." He could smell the wonderful aroma of the brewing coffee.   
  
"Yeah, I enjoyed it maybe once a week, not every other day. It's hardly the staple of healthy diet." She grinned and pointed toward the oranges lined up on the island counter. "Make yourself useful and squeeze us up some orange, will you?"  
  
"Don't get up, I'll do it." Jason said coming into the room with his blazer over one arm and his tie in one hand. "Billy just arrived yesterday. We can hardly make him work on his first official day in his new home."  
  
"You're way too good to your tenants." Trini shook her head and continued to flip the silver dollar pancakes in the air.   
  
"You don't make Kim share the cooking." Jason pointed out as he sliced the oranges in half with an easily graceful twist of the wrist.   
  
"That's because the girl couldn't boil water without causing a disaster in my kitchen. I happen to want to cook after she gets done giving herself second degree burns."   
  
"That's awful, Trini." Jason said laughing.   
  
"That's the truth." She shook her head and begins to put perfectly golden pancakes onto a plate. "You have syrup?"  
  
"Only maple and it's in the cupboard to the left of your head." Jason took out several tall glasses and a juice carafe and began to pour out the juice from the juicer. "You know, considering that Kim can't cook and Tommy 'really' can't cook, I wonder what they're going to eat when they get married."  
  
"I would say that they'd be doing a lot of take outs." She grinned at him and motioned him over with a wooden spoon. Dipping the spoon into the oatmeal, she held it out for taste. "I like mine pretty mild, think it needs more sugar?"   
  
Jason licked his lips then the spoon again. "No, that's fine. Anyone else that wants it sweeter can add more brown sugar themselves."   
  
"That's what I was thinking." She nodded and went back to stir the oatmeal some more before flipping the next batch of pancakes. "You have the newspaper?"  
  
"Yeah, Dow Jones is down again."  
  
"No big surprise there. We knew that it would happen. You sale your Juno stocks?"  
  
"Yeah, last week, at the peak. Made just enough to cover for the building of my new gazebo." He grinned and began to make more juice. "I sincerely hope that the Nasdeq doesn't get anywhere near...."  
  
Billy had long stopped listening to their conversation. The subject matter was hardly important since they appear to be bantering about little things in both their life. But it was the easy, comfortable, very... domesticated atmosphere that caught his attention, the way they moved and worked around one another as they made breakfast. The were so very comfortable with one another in that very natural sense that they had pretty much forgotten there was a third party in the room silently observing their every move.   
  
There was no obvious signs of anything going on between them but there was something.... something he couldn't quite put his finger on. They were simply too... comfortable together.  
  
"Come on, just tell me."  
  
"I do not have to tell you anything." Trini protested as she moved the batter out of his reach. "You keep those hands off the pot."  
  
"What did you put in there?" Jason tried to take the pot again.   
  
"No, it's my own little secret recipe for pancakes. And you're not getting it!"  
  
"Oh come on, share!" Jason begged with a laugh. "Hey Billy, make her tell me what she put in there."  
  
"Sorry," Billy grinned and shook his head. "I never argue with a woman that knows her way around the kitchen. I pretty much live on instant noodle and coffee."  
  
"Coffee?" Rocked asked as he came in all blurry eyed and sleepy headed. "Someone mention coffee?"  
  
"On the pot," Trini pointed taking the opportunity to finish the batter. "And there are pancakes and oatmeal for breakfast."  
  
"Breakfast?" Adam's grinned as he came in fully dressed and ready for work. "We actually get breakfast? Not ultra sugary cereals?"  
  
"Trini made real food." Billy said as Rocky and Adam both made for the wonderfully aroma of the freshly brewed coffee.   
  
"Trini, you really need to move in here." Adam said around a mouth full of coffee and grinned. "I'd even be willing to share my room."  
  
"You wish!" Trini threw the dishtowel at the young doctor's head. "Get eating guys or everyone's going to be late for work."  
  
"Where's Zack?" Rocky asked now that his eyes were open.  
  
"Zack was sleeping," the man himself complained as he made his way through the kitchen door and the table. "But all the noise woke Zack up from his wonderful slumber when he really didn't have to get up." He yawned then looked at table of food. "Let me guess, Trini did it."  
  
"You better believe it." Adam grinned and scooped up oatmeal in a bowel. "You have no idea how nice it is to have someone around that actually knows what they're doing in the kitchen."  
  
"Yeah," Jason said with a grin as he offered coffee to Trini who declined and took up some orange juice. "Left to our device, I'm sure we'd all starve to nothing in no time."  
  
"I can cook." Rocky objected emphatically. "I've cooked for myself for years."  
  
"And look what that got you." Adam grinned. "And I've tasted your cooking, trust me when I way that it resembles nothing Trini whips up."  
  
Trini grinned indulgingly. "I hate to break this up but I have to get to work soon. Lots to do today with everything that's been going on the last two weeks."  
  
Jason finished his pancakes. "Juice? That's all your going to have after everything you made this morning?"  
  
"I thought I was hungry but it turns out that I'm not." She shrugged her shoulders.   
  
"You should have something, Trini." Adam admonished. "Breakfast is 80% of your fuel for the day."  
  
"Yes doctor," she shook her head knowing that the guys were probably not going to let her out of the house until she's had something to eat. Grabbing a little pancake and tearing it apart with her hand, she put a part in her mouth before motioning to Jason. "Okay, let's go."  
  
Jason shook his head but said nothing. "Okay, I'll be back around five, if I'm real lucky. Let's make plans to have dinner together tonight. Billy, Zack, what time do you guys think you'll be back from sight seeing?"  
  
"Don't know," Zack mumbled around his oatmeal. "Whenever we get done I guess."  
  
"I'll keep my cell on," Billy said logically. "You can call when everyone here is assembled."  
  
"Okay," Jason nodded and grabbed his briefcase. "Say good-bye Trini."  
  
She smiled at him. "Good-bye Trini."   
  
He rolled his eyes and headed out the door with a wave of his hand. "See you all tonight."  
  
"Bye," Trini said as she hurried out the door as well.  
  
Billy continued to watch the door until he heard the engine purred and came to life. Then they were gone.  
  
"Billy?" Adam looked at the man behind the glass. "What's up, man?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Billy frowned but looked rather amused. "Does their activities seem particular to anyone other than me?"  
  
"Particular?" Adam asked with a frown. "Define particular."  
  
Shaking his head, the former blue ranger sighed. "Never mind. It's probably nothing."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
The Seraphim  
New York Harbor  
New York City, New York  
  
"Isn't it beautiful?" Aisha smiled against the salt air as she gazed lovingly at the grand old lady.   
  
"Yeah," Tanya laughed as she snapped some pictures of the Statue of Liberty. "What was it that they say? Give us your hungry, your poor... Wish it was still the case these days."  
  
"Yeah, it would certainly be a better world if everyone would just..."  
  
"Stop that!" Zack said with laugh. "No work, you two. We're here to enjoy ourselves and be nosy tourists. No worries, not sadness, no politics. Just smile and be happy that we're here and we're alive."  
  
"That's right," Billy piped in with a grin. "And just remember that she is a symbol of ideal in this world. We can appreciate her as such."  
  
"I agree." Tanya smiled and took a deep breath. "I'm glad that we did this."  
  
"This boat trip thing?" Zack asked with a teasing grin.  
  
"No, I meant..." Tanya started to explain before she caught his grin.  
  
"I know what you mean." He took a deep breath as well, feeing wonderful toward the world at large. "It's beautiful knowing that we have somewhere to go to should life become too hard for us."  
  
"Friends, it makes all the difference in the world." Billy smiled and looked at them all.   
  
"It's nice to know that one is loved." Aisha smiled rather wistfully. She knew that she would always have these particular friends in her life. They've been through too much for her to ever let them go. She always knew that Rocky would be there for her, no matter what, just as she would always be there for him. They were friends, first and foremost. But if I want to be honest to myself, I don't want to be his friend.  
  
"Hello? Earth to Aisha?" Tanya gave her a look that said that she'd guess what had been occupying the girl's mind. "You've got it bad, girl."  
  
She sighed. "I know."  
  
"Something wrong?" Zack asked, looking between the two.  
  
Tanya laughed. "Nothing a good kick in the head wouldn't fix. But we're here on vacation so that's going to have to wait. Now, what's next on the agenda."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"Miss Kwan in?" Jason asked the perky secretary by the Trini's office door.  
  
Janet Milliet stared at the fine specimen of a man standing before her. "Uhm... Ms. Kwan is going to be in a meeting with the partners for most of the afternoon. Can I help you with anything?"  
  
Jason shook his head. "Could you just give her a message for me?"  
  
She nodded her head enthusiastically; too afraid that she would begin to drool if she opened her mouth. Taking a pencil and her usual pad of paper.   
  
"Tell her Jason stopped by. I need to talk to her about the Venetian project. Could she call me this afternoon at my office or come upstairs. It's pretty important so I would appreciate a prompt response." He smiled at her. "Got that?"  
  
"Yes, I got it." She admired the way his shirt seem to stretch across those big broad shoulders. "I'll give it to her right away." She glanced down at the notes. "Can I have your last name?"  
  
"Don't worry about that. Just tell her it's Jason and she'll know who it is." He smiled at her again. "Thanks." Then walked away, not knowing that the secretary was staring at his rear as he made his way back to his office.   
  
Reaching the elevator, Jason pulled his cell phone out. His reason for coming downstairs was not only to talk to Trini about the project, though that was the main thing. The other reason was the see if she wanted to have lunch together. But since she was busy, he was going to do something he's hardly ever done before but appear to be in the habit of doing so lately, since he met up with her again. He was going to spontaneous.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
"Mr. Oliver's office."  
  
"Hi, I need to Tommy please."  
  
"May I ask who is calling?"  
  
"Tell him it's Jason Scott."  
  
"Hold on a moment."  
  
The line was suddenly filled with classical music that Jason could almost recall the name of. Then, "Oliver speaking."  
  
"Okay, Tommy," keeping a grin from his face. "You shouldn't answer like that. Someone is likely to think they got the wrong number and got someone name Oliver."  
  
Tommy grinned. "What's up Jason?"  
  
"Could you meet me for lunch?"  
  
Glancing at his watch, he nodded to himself. He had been making tentative plans to surprise Kim at her office but it would appear that that would have to wait for another day. "Sure, where?"  
  
"Know anywhere we can get something quick to eat? I need your help on something afterwards."   
  
"Sure, why don't we meet up and grab a hotdog or something."  
  
"Yeah," Jason smiled. "Adam would kill us both knowing that we're eating junk food for lunch."  
  
"So would Kim. Let's meet a corner of Fifteen and Pennsylvania in...let's say ten minutes?"  
  
"I can make that."  
  
"Good. Bye."  
  
"See ya."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"So where are we taking off to?" Tommy asked as he wiped his mouth. "Cause you weren't exactly forthcoming about that particular part."  
  
"I need to talk to you about something. Let's sit down here." Jason took a bench and sipped on his sugary soda pop. "I need a little help."  
  
"Help doing what?" Tommy watched a little girl with soft grown eyes and two sweet little pigtails skip along the road with her mother.   
  
"I think I'm ready for marriage."   
  
Turning big stunned eyes to his best friend, Tommy was completely taken by surprised. "Excuse me?"  
  
Jason sighed, not sure if he could explain it any better. "It's weird, I know. But serious here."  
  
"Jason, people don't just get up one morning and decide that they're ready for marriage then go out and marry the first girl they see. It's not done around here."  
  
"Sure it is, you hear it all the time on talk shows."  
  
"Not to sane normal people. Those that are crazy and doped up on something are the only ones insane enough to throw their life away on a whim. Tell me that you didn't do...." Tommy stared at him in horror. "Oh please, tell me you didn't marry some stripper while you were in Vegas."  
  
Jason laughed. "Do I look completely out of your mind? Of course this isn't something that just cropped up in my head. And no, I didn't get married in Vegas, Trini would have my head."  
  
"Thank goodness. When I asked you to watch out for her, I didn't think I'd have to ask her to reciprocate the favor." Tommy shook his head. "By the way, did you and Trini talk about her mystery guy? Cause the two of your seem to have come to some understanding or something?"  
  
Slanting him a curious look, Jason smiled. "Why do you ask that?"  
  
"Well, Kim said that she thought you guys are looking a little more comfortable with one another than usual. Like you guys made a connection or something."  
  
Jason was internally amused by his friends' observations. "I guess you can say that."  
  
"Okay," Tommy shook his head again. "Back to the subject at hand. What's going on with you?"  
  
"I told you, I think I'm ready for marriage. And I'd like my best friend to help me pick out a ring."  
  
Tommy was silent as all the dots are connected slowly but surely. "Is there something you aren't telling me, Jason?"  
  
A enigmatic smile crossed Jason's face.   
  
Tommy's eyes narrowed. "Are you seeing someone?"  
  
The smiled bloomed to a full blown grin.  
  
"You little...." The former white ranger shook his head. "Now the big ass house and the move across the states makes more sense. How long?"  
  
"Not long."  
  
"But you're... Stupid question, of course you're in love." Tommy wondered at himself. How could he have missed the now obvious signs of a man in love? The happiness twinkling in his best friend's eyes was a dead give away. "Was it cause of Kim that I didn't seem this coming?"  
  
"Not at all," Jason patted him on the shoulder. "I haven't told anyone and I've been keeping a real low profile on this. None of the others know."  
  
"Well, you've certainly gotten good at this whole hiding secret lives thing from our old days."  
  
"Good training." Jason nodded his agreement. "Wish me happy?"  
  
"I can see that you're already there." Tommy laughed. "Oh man, I can't believe this! When do we meet the lucky gal?"  
  
"Not yet." Jason certainly wasn't ready to divulge the secret. At least not until he's asked for her hand. Now if he could only figure out how to get that done. "In due time."  
  
"I don't even get a name?"   
  
"Nope."  
  
Tommy sighed. "First Trini and now you. The two most logical, rational, responsible people I know and both of you are keeping secrets from everyone. Does Trini know about this girl?"  
  
Jason choked on the last of his soda pop, desperately trying not to laugh out loud.  
  
"She does, doesn't she? That's what's going on between the two of your. You're keeping her secret and she's keeping yours." Tommy sighed. "Well, that certainly explains this new understanding between the two of you."  
  
Jason said nothing, too afraid that he would not be able to contain his laughter.  
  
"Okay," Tommy sighed. "Let's go pick out that ring."  
  
"Thanks," Jason said with the biggest grin on his face.   
  
Tommy frowned at him. "I'm glad you're so amused at making fools of your friends. I'm going to kill Trini for this!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She didn't share."  
  
Jason laughed then. "Unlike you and Kim, Trini is about as good at keeping secrets as I am."  
  
Tommy sighed.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
Miller and Hoffman Architectural Company  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 1000  
New York City, New York  
  
"Hi, I'm looking for Mr. Scott?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Scott is in the middle of a very important project and cannot be disturb for any reason. If I can get your name, perhaps..."  
  
"Could you just tell him that..."  
  
"Trini!" Jason stuck his head out of his office after having spotted her from the glass partition. "Come inside." He nodded to his secretary. "Karen, this is Ms. Kwan, our lawyer for the Vegas Project. We're not to be disturbed."  
  
The young lady nodded her head vigorously. "Yes sir."  
  
Trini grinned with amusement as she moved toward the desk while Jason closed the blinds the led to the office. "What's the big emergency?" Jason's lips found hers for one heart stopping moment then let go. She grinned with amusement. "Did you call me up here just to make out?"  
  
"As much fun as that would be, no." He shook his head and took a deep breath. "I needed to talk to you about the contracts."  
  
"It's almost done. I should have a copy for you by the end of tomorrow." She frowned. "Any big changes that I should know about?"  
  
"Not that I'm aware of." Jason pulled up the draft copy from his desk. "I went over it with senior partners this morning with a fine tooth comb. Everything looks good. The reason they're concerned is because of the pending lawsuit against the other company."  
  
"Yes," she sighed and took a seat. "That's going to be nasty to contend with."  
  
"Can we settle it out of court?"  
  
"Not to the satisfaction of everyone." Trini sighed then groaned with exhaustion. She didn't understand why she was so tired. This was less work than she usually did for her old firm. But her energy level seems to have been sunk to zero lately.   
  
"You all right?" He asked coming around the desk. "You look pale."  
  
"You're like the hundredth person to tell me that today."  
  
"Well, that's probably because it's true. You feeling all right?"  
  
"I'm fine," she said with a sigh, weary of the conversation.  
  
"Then why don't I believe you?" He frowned. "Confession time my dearest and you're not getting out of this one."  
  
"I guess it's all the traveling and work. I'm just tired."  
  
He didn't like the pallor of her skin. "You should go home and get some sleep."  
  
She smiled at him. "Well, as a matter of fact. I'm off for the rest of the day. I was going to take some work home with me to read over tonight. Want to come with?"  
  
"Home?" He glanced at his watch. "It's only three."  
  
"Play hooky, tell them that we're going to work on he contract problems at my place." She smiled reassuringly at him. "I do have all the materials and books there you know, it won't be a complete lie. And then you can hold me while I take a nap."  
  
He grinned. It did sound all too tempting by half. Plus, he could get the added benefit of taking care of her. "Okay, I'll go tell the others." He leaned in and kissed her lips. "I love you."  
  
She smiled in contentment and kissed his nose. "It's weird not being afraid when I hear that."  
  
"I'm going to make sure you get plenty use to hearing it from me."  
  
"Can I reciprocate that?"  
  
"Absolutely." Feeling lighthearted.  
  
"I love you." Letting the words roll off her tongue with delight.   
  
He knew that everything was going to be great.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Do you have a closet around here big enough to fit those two in for the night?"   
  



	32. The Night

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: For Hanspam, you're a good friend and I wanted you to know that.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Two  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I say we lock them in a closet for a night. Then see what happens." Tanya whispered into Trini's ear, who let out a peal of laughter.   
  
"What are you two she-devils talking about?" Adam asked with a grin.   
  
"Nothing much, just wondering when we can go out and catch us some guys to torture," Tanya answered batting her eyes teasingly. "Care to volunteer?"  
  
Adam made the sigh of the cross and backed away quickly as the others laughed.  
  
Trini sipped her warm tea to settle her stomach as she continued to be amused at Tanya's suggestion. She had to admit that it had some merit to it. Rocky and Aisha had been stealing glances all night, from the wonderful French restaurant they all had dinner at to the video store where they all picked their favorite movies in preparation for a wonderful night in with just good company and great conversations.   
  
"What are you thinking?" Jason asked as he sat down on the floor next to her chair.   
  
"Do you have a closet around here big enough to fit those two in for the night?"   
  
He didn't have to ask who the two were. "No but the basement is certainly big enough and has a nice big mat for whatever they wish to do."   
  
"Now there's a thought. And didn't you begin to stock your basement with liquor?"  
  
"Oh, how could have possibly found out about that?"   
  
"A little birdy name Adam." She grinned at him.   
  
"You know," Aisha called with a little more enthusiasm than usual. "We should go take a walk through Princeton tomorrow. They're supposed to have a lovely campus."  
  
"Oh, let's do that now!" Kim said with lots of enthusiasm. "I never got to do that whole tourist thing cause I started work so quickly after I arrived. "I won't mind taking a moonlit stroll through a lovely Ivy league school."  
  
"Oh how romantic," Tanya said with a grin. "Too romantic for someone whose got no man and no date tonight."  
  
Zack made a quick bow and offered his arm to Tanya gallantly. "May I be your escort for the evening, my dear?"  
  
Tanya laughed and scrambled to her feet to make an exaggerated curtsey. "My prince charming."   
  
Kimberly laughed and got up to follow them. Aisha shook her head and offered her arm to Kim. "My lady, shall we follow them?"  
  
Linking her arm through Aisha's, Kimberly bowed her head seriously. "Absolutely for we all know that the prince is a scandalous fellow. We must protect her highnesses reputation!"  
  
"Here, here!" And they followed with laughter.  
  
The men made to follow as well until Billy turned. "Hey, aren't you coming Trini?"  
  
She shook her head. "I have to go through some contracts tonight. Besides which, I'm still worn out from my hop around the country."  
  
"You do look slightly frayed around the edge." Adam said coming over and felt her forehead. "You're kind of warm and dry. You been sleeping okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I've been fine." She pushed his hand away and got up. "I think I'm going go home and read those contracts before hitting the hay."  
  
"Hey, we're suppose to talk about the Vegas project," Jason pointed out more as an excuse than anything. It would be nice to spend a little uninterrupted time with her now that they were back home and under the ever-curious eyes of their friends. "Why don't we talk about it at your place?"  
  
"You're not coming either?" Tommy asked with a frown.  
  
"No, I think I need to get this done first." Jason made an apologetic nod. "We'll do something tomorrow."  
  
"I say we do the carnival again," Rocky suggested as he made his way out the door. "I never did get to go into that fun house."  
  
"That's because Tommy and Kim were in there so long." Adam pointed out as he followed his friend out the door.  
  
"What fun house?" Tanya wanted to know as she tugged Zack along.  
  
"Get some rest, girl." Aisha smiled and was out the door.  
  
"Should I check up on you later?" Kim asked with concern. It was so unlike Trini to be so tired.  
  
"No, go, have fun. I'll be fine." She waved them off.  
  
"You sure?" Tommy asked glancing at Jason who nodded his head. "Call us if you need us."  
  
"Thanks guys." Trini smiled.  
  
Billy hesitated at the door. "Trini, you should probably got see a doctor. I've never seen you this tired before."  
  
"It might just be a flu of something, Billy. Don't worry about it."  
  
"All the same, you should go see someone about it."  
  
She shook her head in exasperation. It was nice having friend that care but sometimes they can be so overly protective. "Well, I'm due to have my annual physical soon, maybe I'll have them check in on it then. Is that okay?"  
  
He nodded and left.   
  
Jason sighed as he sat down next to her. "Looks like it's just you and me again."  
  
"Looks like." Then grinned.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
Student Garden Lane  
Princeton University  
Princeton, New Jersey  
  
"Oh, look at that beautiful pond." Tanya laughed and pulled Zack and Billy over with her.   
  
Kimberly leaned on Tommy's arm and moved toward them as well.  
  
Rocky touched Aisha's arm and slowed her down. "I want to talk to you."  
  
She looked over at the other then back at him with a nod. They found a nearby stone bench to rest on. There was a long awkward silence as both tried to figure out what to say.   
  
"So..."  
  
"Rocky..."  
  
Rocky blushed and was glad for the darkness. "You go ahead."  
  
"No, please. You go first." Aisha tried to smile but it made her face hurt.  
  
Feeling the collar of his shirt choking him didn't particularly helped his speaking mode. "About what happened... in Monte Carlo...."  
  
"You don't have to say it." Aisha interrupted in a rush.  
  
"But I think we need to get it out in the open." Rocky couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes. "I... I'm not too sure that...."  
  
"Rocky, I just don't think that this will do either one of us any good." Aisha twisted her hands together. "I know that you must be feeling so betrayed and I totally won't blame you for feeling that way. What I did was just so unconscionable and I just don't know what to do or say to make this better."  
  
"What?" Rocky's head snapped around toward her.   
  
Aisha felt her face heat up and probably turned an unsightly shade of red. She could only thank her African ancestors for her dark skin that will hopefully disguise her terrible embarrassment in the dim lighting of the school's campus. "I know that we were both so drunk and I shouldn't have..."  
  
"Whoa... wait a minute... Hold it!" He shook his head to clear it, not quite sure he was hearing everything correctly. "What do you mean betrayed? If anyone should be feeling betrayed, it should be you."  
  
"Rocky," Aisha took a deep breath. "How could you not feel betrayed after the way I took complete advantage of you and..."  
  
"Take advantage of me?" Rocky felt as if someone came along and turned his world upside-down and inside-out. "No, I think you have that backwards Aisha. 'I' took advantage of 'you'."  
  
She frowned at him. It was rather noble of him but they needed to get the truth out now. "There's no need for you to try to protect me, Rocky. I know what I did."  
  
"And I know what I did." He pointed out. He was having some trouble keep his head from falling off his shoulders. This was not what he had in mind when he said that he wanted to talk. "Aisha, I took advantage of you. You were completely out of your mind drunk!"  
  
"I wasn't!" She insisted her brows coming together in a rather startled frown. "You were the one that couldn't stand on your own two feet. Remember? I basically had to carry you to your room."  
  
"I pulled you onto the bed."  
  
"Rocky, I fell. I tripped over your bag on the floor." She shook her head. "You were so intoxicated, you didn't even know what you were saying at that point."  
  
"I know exactly what I said." And he's never regretted those words. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever had the pleasure of seeing in my life. Would that the world was as beautiful as the beauty God has bestowed upon you, this would be paradise.   
  
"You were quoting poetry, Rocky." Aisha shook her head. This was the most bizarre conversation she's ever had with him. "I've never known you to..."  
  
"I know what I said."  
  
"I highly doubt that."  
  
"I said that..." He didn't know if he wanted to repeat the words of that night. I've been in love with you since the second grade. Staying them out loud again could be the end of their friendship forever.  
  
"See?" Aisha pointed out almost desperate. Standing up, she turned from, wanting to hide the hurt she felt in her heart. A part of her had always hopeful, prayed that they were true. "You don't remember."  
  
Rocky reached out a hand toward her. Wanting to tell her. "I..."  
  
"What are you two arguing about?" Adam asked as he and Tanya came up, seeing their best friends upset.   
  
"Nothing," Aisha answered with a sigh. "How was the pond?"  
  
"It was beautiful." Tanya frowned, trying to convey her concern for Aisha through her eyes. "You should take a look at it."  
  
"I think I will now." Aisha took a deep breath. "Would you go with me?"  
  
Nodding her head, "Oh course." She exchanged looks with Adam before taking Aisha's arm in typical girl fashion.   
  
Adam and Rocky stood in silence as they disappeared around the bend. "What the hell happened, Rocky?"  
  
Rocky sighed and sat down on the bench again. "To be completely honest, I'm not sure."  
  
He could see the misery in his friend's posture. "Talk to me. Tell me what happened?"  
  
"Adam, I swear. I meant to fix everything so that we would comfortable again. But things just got worse and worse and I didn't know how to fix it." He felt a dull ache beginning in his heart. "I think I lost her forever."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì senza la mano  
Che ti scalda il cuor  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì senza il calore  
Che ti scalda il cuore  
  
E mille giomi  
E mille notti  
Senza capire  
Senza sentire  
Senza sapere  
Che non c'è miente al mondo  
Nemmen mel puì profondo  
Sei solo tu  
Soltanto tu  
  
Mai più senza la mano  
Che ti scalda il cuor  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì senza l'amore  
Di chi ti ha aspettato  
  
E mille giorni  
E mille notti   
Senza capire  
Senza sentire  
Senza sapere  
Che non c'è miente al mondo  
Nemmen mel puì profondo  
Sei solo tu  
Soltanto tu  
  
Mai più senza la mano  
Che ti scalda il cuor  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì così lontano  
Mai puì senza l'amore  
Di chi ti ha aspettato  
  
(Never so far again  
Never so far again  
Never again without the hand  
That warms my heart  
Never so far again  
Never so far again  
Never again without the passion  
That warms my heart  
  
And a thousand days  
And a thousand nights  
Without understanding  
Without feeling  
Without realizing  
That there's nothing else in this world  
Not even in the depth of my soul   
You're the only one I need  
You, and only you  
  
Never again without the hand  
That warms my heart  
Never so far again  
Never so far again  
Never again without the love  
Of one who has waited for me  
  
And a thousand days  
And a thousand nights  
Without understanding  
Without feeling  
Without realizing  
That there's nothing else in this world  
Not even in the depth of my soul   
You're the only one I need  
You, and only you  
  
Never again without the hand  
That warms my heart  
Never so far again  
Never so far again  
Never again without the love  
Of one who has waited for me)  
  
Trini smiled and shook her head as she leaned against Jason, reading the newly redrafted contract between the Venetian Resort and Miller and Hoffman's Architectural Company. "What is it with you and Italian songs?"  
  
"I think they're more romantic than English ones." Jason kissed the top of her head and continued to read the stack of reconstruction papers in his hand. It was going to be a rather messy process of redoing everything that was not up to code. "You do known that Italian is a Romance language, right?"  
  
"Yes, we studied it enough during our trip through Europe for me to know that much about it." She smiled. "I like that song. What was it?"  
  
"It's called 'Mai Pui Cosi Lontano' by Andrea Bocelli." He smiled and flipped a page.   
  
She thought for a moment. "'Never So Far Again,' that's very...."  
  
"Us." He smiled and put the big stack of papers down. "Never will I be away from you again. Never well I live through life without the warmth of your love."  
  
"How romantic, Mr. Scott. I didn't know you had it in your." She turned her head just enough to kiss his lips. "I love you."  
  
"I love you." He shifted in the bed and thought of the platinum gold and diamond ring he was having resized. Now is not the time. It's too soon. "I mean it you know."  
  
"I know." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. The little prints on these contracts always drove her to distraction. "I never doubted you for a moment."  
  
"And I'm not going to let you get away from me. I'm going to be with you forever."  
  
"Okay," she reached up and patted his cheek. "Now get back to work."  
  
He smiled. "Yes, madam." He picked up the papers. Soon. I'll have that ring on her finger soon enough. Just enjoy this for now.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 27, 2004  
Student Garden Lane  
Princeton University  
Princeton, New Jersey  
  
"What happened?" Tanya asked the minute they were out of the boys' earshot. "Aisha?"  
  
She felt the tears come and tried to force them back. "Oh god." She clamp her teeth over her lower lip and let herself a brief moment of sorrow. "I'm so stupid."  
  
"Hey now, you're not allow to say that." Tanya dug through her purse and pulled out a small pack of tissues. "Let's sit down and you tell Tanya all about it." Rocky Descantos, if you've done something bad, I'm going to make sure your death is nice and slow.  
  
Taking the tissues with a thanks, she wiped the tears away. "I don't know what I was thinking!"  
  
"Aisha, you have to...."  
  
"He didn't remember." She whispered into the night.  
  
Tanya's mouth fell open in shock. "He didn't remember having sex with you?"  
  
Aisha gave a short choked laugh and sniffled. "No, he definitely remembered that part of the night. I'd definitely be more angry than sad if that were the case."  
  
"Oh," Tanya's angry receded. "Then what is it that you think he didn't remember?"  
  
She shook her head. Her heart hurt so bad now that all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and pulled the blankets over her head. "It's not important anymore."  
  
"Of course it is." Tanya sighed. "You're crying over it so it must be very important to you. Spill it or I'm going to throw you into that pond."  
  
She smiled sadly and glanced at the cold waters. "As if you can."  
  
"Don't try me, girl."  
  
Aisha lost her smile as she continued to stare at the black waters. "He said that he loved me. You don't know what that made me feel that night. I felt... felt so alive when he touched me. I've never known such joy or such pain as in his hands." Her tears came again. She tried desperately to keep from crying again. "I made love to him that night. I wanted to be his." She sniffed the tears back. "I wanted to be his forever." She wiped the fresh tears away. "And then I woke up."  
  
Tanya put her arms around the crying girl. She wanted to comfort, wanted to stop the pain for her. "Aisha." She knew that nothing she said was going to make a damn difference. It wasn't going to ease any of the pain in the girl's heart. But she could at least offer a shoulder for her to cry on.   
  
~~~~~  
  
"I'm sure that's not the case." Adam sat down next to her miserable friend. "Tell me what happened."  
  
"I wanted to talk to her." Rocky shook his head. "I wanted to clear the air and to apologize for that night."  
  
"The night in Monte Carlo?"  
  
He glared at him. "What other night was there?"  
  
Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Go on."  
  
"I tried, I really tried to apologize she kept interrupting me and..." he threw up his hand in despair. "She started to babble on about how it was her fault and that..."  
  
"Wait a minute," Adam shook his head. "There was fault here?"  
  
"Adam, I took advantage of her." Rocky stared at his friend's eyes. "She was drunk and didn't know what she was up to and... God, that dress she wore. She so incredibly... I lost my head." He took a deep breath. "I wanted her so badly that night."  
  
"And so you made love to her." He concluded, awaiting the story to continue.   
  
"It was incredible." He smiled in remembrance of that night. "She was so beautiful. Her hair was all long and shiny from the light. And she had this unbelievable smile on her face, like the world was hers for the taking and she was going to embrace it with open arms." He shook his head. "We were in my room and I just..."  
  
"What?" Adam asked, seeing that his was eating his friend up for quite some time now. It really surprised him that this has never come up until now. Of course with the two them on different continents really did help to put things in the past and bury all the emotions.   
  
Rocky sighed and put his face into his hands. "I poured out my heart to her and then she..." He didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to remember what came next.   
  
"What did she do, Rocky?"  
  
"She touched me." He smiled sadly though the memory brought him so much joy. "Nothing sexual about it. She put her hand on my cheek and just... smiled." He could see it so clearly in his head, that beautiful smile that had the power to stop his heart. "Next thing I know, we were rolling around in bed naked."  
  
Adam reframed from laughing. "What happened between the smile and the rolling around?"  
  
He frowned. "I think we kissed."  
  
"You don't remember?"  
  
"I was less then sober." He pointed out.  
  
"Who initiated the kiss?" Adam asked trying to play the devil's advocate here.  
  
"Does it matter?" Rocky sighed. "We ended up in bed and now I've lost a good friend." And possibly the only woman I've ever truly loved.  
  
"Yes, it matters." Adam said seriously. There was a lot of pain going on and it wasn't all one sided. Obviously neither one was too sober at the time of the events. "Now answer the question."  
  
"I don't remember, counselor." Rocky answered rather irritated.  
  
"Does Aisha?"   
  
"You'd have to ask her."  
  
"Maybe I will."  
  
Rocky frowned at him. "You will do no such thing."  
  
"Rocky..." Adam frowned at him.  
  
"No, Adam. You're going to leave this alone. I don't want you getting involved with this." Rocky shook his head to emphasize his point.   
  
"You're both hurting." Adam pointed out. "It's not going to stop until you both figure out exactly what happened that night."  
  
"That's not your job."  
  
"As a friend to both of you, it most certainly is." Adam clapped his hand on Rocky's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll be extremely discrete about it."  
  
"Oh, like you were about my affair with Aisha?"  
  
Adam grinned. "Okay, so discretion was not my forte, especially after I come off a sixteen hour shift. But I promise, we're going to resolve this before Aisha leaves for Rowanda or where ever she's off to next."  
  
Rocky sighed. "I doubt it."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "You've only been waiting for Kim all your life. Why won't you want to move on it when you get the chance to? You're the impulsive type."  



	33. In between

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Morgan, Morgan, Morgan, you're so right about your predictions but I'm going to draw this out a little more. Hope you are satisfied by the way it comes about. Thanks for always reading.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Three  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"Well, everything looks to be in order," Jerry Malone was a man of good taste and appreciation for the finer things in life. He was also a man that knew a good thing when he saw it. "Very good job on the Venetian Resort case."  
  
"Thank you sir," Trini smiled and shuffled her papers. The past hour had been used to debate the benefits of continuing on the case now that the initial problems have been dealt with. The senior partners decided that it was too good a case not pass up so easily, especially sense the civil litigation side of it was going to be a lot of fun. "Should we look into bringing in a local firm?"  
  
"Absolutely," Robert Dermont pale blue eyes positively twinkled over the prospects of a good argument in courts. For a man that's well past his sixties, he still had the ability to run his assistants ragged with work over some case or other. "Got anyone you know out there that might be good for this?" He may not hold a license in Nevada but he can still gear up for that case nevertheless.   
  
Trini steepled her fingers in front of her. "Stephen McClure has a little firm just outside of Carson City. He handles mostly personal injuries cases. But I've worked with him before and he's good at what he does. We're only bringing him in for the depositions and other minor things that need to be done locally. I don't see why we can't use him for it."  
  
"Good, good." Mr. Boyle was satisfied with the outcome of these past few emergency cases that Trini's had to handle. "Then you'll head up the team on this end with Daniel as second counsel. We'll up the corporate team on this one?" He looked toward his partners expectedly. They were partners and friends for over forty years, he wasn't going to step on anyone's toes.  
  
"Agreed," Malone smiled.  
  
"Sure, why not? Dermont nodded his head. "Trini seems more than capable of handling things. What do you say, Daniel?"  
  
Daniel Hughman was not stupid. He knew that if all three senior partners agreed upon the decision, he would be a fool to kick up a fuss over this. Plus he does not have a license in Nevada, which means he's only being put here because they needed a partner involved, even if it is just a junior partner. "Sure, I'd be more than happy to second on this one."  
  
"I'm not sure..." Trini started to protested.  
  
"Not sure of what, my dear?" Mr. Boyle asked politely. "You've the skills, and the talent for this. I have more than enough confidence that you can handle this case without any problems."  
  
"I just thought that maybe someone with more experience..."  
  
"Nonsense," Dermont shook his head. "You may not have a lot of experience with the contracting companies, but I've seen you work in court. You're thorough and firm on your subject. You've always been very good about researching your materials when you work."  
  
Trini frowned. "You've seen me in court sir?"  
  
Malone laughed. "Who do you think lobbied for you to be in hired here? Bobby went into the Superior Court one afternoon for a Conference Status with the judge, sat in on a mismanagement case to relax for a moment and came back bound and determined to scoop you up from the your old firm."  
  
She blushed. "Thank you sir."  
  
"No, my dear." Dermont smiled. "Thank you. It's been a while since I've seen anyone fight with that much enthusiasm for their clients. Now, get in contact with the guy from the architectural firm... um... What was his name?"  
  
"Jason Scott, sir."  
  
"That's right. Get in contact with Mr. Scott and set up a meeting. We want the load down on this one. Let's move it along as quickly as we can. Oh, and I'm handing the Denver project back to you. Think you can take that one as well?"  
  
"It's not a big case. Lots of little things to be done, that's all. I'm sure I can handle it."  
  
"Good, good. Then let's get to work."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
"Make sure it goes out with today's mail, Amy. I want Mr. Riley to have it by Thursday so he can get it back to us by Monday morning. I want cracking on this." Tommy handed his secretary the thick portfolio. "Do I have anything this afternoon?"  
  
Amy glanced down at the big pad in her arms. "You have a meeting with Mr. St. Clair at two. Another with Ms. Carmichael and Mr. Jones at three."  
  
"Can we move the St. Clair one to one o'clock? I want to give him enough time."  
  
"Sure, I'll make the call."   
  
"Thank, Amy."  
  
"You're welcome sir."  
  
Tommy sighed and waited for the door to his office to shut. He wanted to go home and put his head under a pillow for a while. But instead he was going to do something else. Picking up a phone, he dialed the number quickly. "Mr. Sydney Kent."  
  
"Syd here."  
  
"Sydney, it's Tommy Oliver."  
  
"Mr. Oliver, what can I do for you today?"  
  
"Did the escrow deal clear yet?"  
  
The man sighed. "Mr. Oliver, buying a house is not like buying a toothbrush. It takes time."  
  
"I want this house, Syd. I want it now."  
  
"I know that Tommy but I need time to get the paper work cleared."  
  
"The account it good. I can pay for the damn place full now."  
  
"I know, it's not the money that's the problem. It's the sellers. They're not sure what's going on. A part of them would love to sell the house and be paid quick but they're afraid something is wrong."  
  
"What does that mean?" Tommy frowned into the phone.  
  
Sydney sighed again and leaned back in his chair. "Not too many people can just up and pay for a house like that. They think that you're some drug dealer that's going to use their house as some sort of..."  
  
"Oh for heaven sakes!" Tommy wasn't sure if he should be amused or pissed off. "I'm a stock broker, I make money the way most people spend it."  
  
"I know and I'll talk to them about it." Syd has never met a man so eager to get his hands on a house. "You need to be patient."  
  
Tommy sighed. He was mostly patient when it came to non-important things. Having a house would mean that he would get to ask Kim to move in with him and spend her life with him. The conversation with Jason yesterday really had him thinking. "All right, I'll wait. Just move it along, will you?"  
  
"I'll do my best."  
  
"Thanks, Syd. Talk to you later."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Tommy hung up the phone and leaned on his desk. He wanted that house with the picket fences and white washed walls. He wasn't sure if he was ready for marriage the way Jason seems so eager to be. But he knew that he wanted Kim. Moving into the same house would be something akin to being married. But if Kim didn't want to move in with him, perhaps marriage could be the answer. He could deal with marriage if need be.   
  
The buzzing of the phone irritated him until he remembered that he was still at work. "What is it, Amy?"  
  
"Mr. Scott on line one for you."  
  
"Thanks," he switched over with an easy touch of a button. "What's up, bro?"  
  
"Okay, I've talked to David about your wanting to buy a house and remodel it."   
  
"Really?" Tommy wasn't surprise that Jason could move so fast on this. "I don't have the house yet."  
  
"I know, I just thought that I would ask David if he could clear his schedule a little for when you do have it." Jason grinned. "I had a feeling that you would want to move on it fast once it's in your hot little hands."  
  
"And what makes you say that?" Tommy asked curiously.   
  
"Oh please," Jason rolled his eyes. "You've only been waiting for Kim all your life. Why won't you want to move on it when you get the chance to? You're the impulsive type."  
  
Tommy snorted his amusement. "This coming from a man that just plunked down two thousand dollars for a ring yesterday cause he thought he was ready for marriage."  
  
Jason laughed. "I can't wait!"  
  
"You're awfully excited this morning. Did you sneak off to see your lady friend yesterday?"  
  
"I was working with Trini last night, remember?" Jason pointed out, too amused by half over this whole situation.   
  
"Oh yeah," Tommy frowned. "By the way, how have you been seeing your girl? I mean, between us moving in, your business trip to the west, and the potential crisis rising with Trini's boyfriend, when do you get to see your girl?"  
  
He wasn't so sure if he should tell but decided, why the heck not. "Well, remember those jogs that I do oh so often when you first moved in?"  
  
The light went up in Tommy's head. "Well shit! You were getting some while I was suffering?"  
  
Jason laughed and glanced at his office door. "It's not like I was rubbing it in your face."  
  
"True," he nodded and sighed. Jason's strange life was something Tommy has yet to figure out. "So, when are you going to bring the gal around to meet us?"  
  
"Soon."  
  
"Better be sooner cause Zack and the girls leave on Tuesday for California again." He pointed out.  
  
Jason frowned. He really did forget that his friends aren't going to be around for very long. He'll definitely have to talk to Trini about telling their little secret soon. Besides which, he missed having her to hold in bed last night. "Okay, I'll see what I can do about that."  
  
Tommy sighed. "Okay, better get back to work before the boss catches me."  
  
"Yeah, like they're really going to let you go."  
  
"You never know."  
  
"Talk to you later, then."  
  
"Later, my friend."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"I don't know how you convinced the guys that we needed a girl's night out, but I'm so glad that you did." Tanya flopped down on the couch and sighed, her long ponytail curled around her shoulder and deposited glitter on the back of the couch. "I haven't danced like that since... hell, I've never danced like that before."  
  
Kim sat down next to her and pealed off a pair of elbow length white gloves. Her stark white outfit from gloves to halter dress to the knee-high boots were of style tonight when the boys spotted her. "Would have been nice to have Tommy around to fend off the guys but...."  
  
"Oh please," Trini laughed as she poured them all some juice and paused briefly to wonder if she should shoot upstairs and change out of her leather pants and barely there midriff. "Like you would have had half as much fun with him around. Men tend to be very possessive when you get them at a place where they feel their 'territory' is being threatened."  
  
"Ah, the voice of experience." Kimberly sighed and reached for a glass, her feet were going to hurt like hell tomorrow. "So, what do you think the boys were up to tonight?"  
  
"I don't know," Tanya grinned with expected fun, her eyes all twinkling with amusement. "But from the way Zack was talking, I'm thinking strip club."  
  
"STRIP CLUB?" Kimberly's eyes were wide with fire. "And you're okay with that?"  
  
"Not my man going there." Tanya teased with great laugher. "Oh, I'm sure he enjoyed himself as much as you did tonight."  
  
"I'm going to kill him." Kimberly made the dire promise with a serious face then ruined the effects by bursting into laughter. "Oh god, can you image those guys at a strip club?"  
  
Trini squealed with laugher. "I have never known guys that were as morally good as those guys."  
  
"Me either," Tanya laughed then happened to glance over at Aisha. "Oh come on, girl. I was just teasing Kim. I'm sure they didn't go to some exotic dance club somewhere. Your Rocky is not that kind guy even if we tease him so much about being so."  
  
Aisha sat down and sighed. "He's not mine."  
  
Kimberly and Trini traded looks and sat back for what could be a long night of girl talks. "Should I put some goodies on the table?"  
  
"What do you have?" Tanya asked with a quick smile for her friend.  
  
"Let's move to the dining room." Trini suggested. "And I see about making something only girl's can fully appreciate."  
  
"Four layer German chocolate forest cake." Kimberly suggested.  
  
"Fresh waffle cone with vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge." Tanya put in.  
  
Aisha smiled and joined in the random suggestion of deaths to their waistlines. "Sweet cream puffs with chocolate dipping."  
  
Kimberly frowned, "Big ass strawberries with white chocolate."  
  
"Oh..." Tanya bit her lip to top that. "Tiramisu with espresso."  
  
Aisha stuck out her tongue. "Root beer with heavy cream and crushed ice with just a hint of Scotch."  
  
"Ouch," Trini shook her head and set out bowels of chips and chocolate treats. "What do you guys take me for? Here, munch on these while I come up with something that will at least try to compete with your imaginations."  
  
"Thanks Trini," Aisha said as she sat down.   
  
"Don't thank me, just start talking."  
  
Aisha shook her head. "I really have nothing to say."  
  
"Oh please," Kimberly rolled her eyes and picked out a chocolate covered peanut piece. "And the town gossip can keep a secret."  
  
"It'll make you feel better, Aisha," Trini entreated from the kitchen. "I know it would certainly allow me to feel better knowing that you are not suffering under my roof."  
  
"You're a pain in the butt, Trini Kwan." Aisha answered with a grin, knowing that she had some of the best friends in the world. "I guess I was just fooling myself."  
  
"Fooling yourself?" Kim frowned. Her eyes darkened with concern. "Over what?"  
  
She sighed. "Well, I don't know if you know guys know about what happened at Monte Carlo."  
  
Trini poked her head in with a big bowl of gooey things she was stirring. "Oh you mean when Rocky took you there for your birthday and you guys ended in the sack together?"  
  
Kimberly grinned. "Then woke up the next morning not knowing what to do and instead of talking about it, you both ran for the hills and haven't met up until now?"  
  
Aisha sat there with a rather unattractive look on her face. Tanya bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Okay, you can't blame this one on me cause I said nothing."  
  
"How did you two..."  
  
"Billy told me a couple of days after he found out. I didn't mention it before cause I thought it would be tacky." Trini grinned and got up to go to the kitchen again. "Hey, come in here so you can keep me company while I do this."  
  
"Tommy told me a couple of nights ago when we were talking about Trini." Kimberly shrugged her shoulders as she got up to follow Trini to the kitchen.  
  
"What were you guys doing talking about me?" Trini asked as she poured the batter into a cake dish.  
  
"Later, my dear." Kim answered with a smile. "We're going to deal with one guy problem at a time tonight."  
  
"I don't have a guy problem." Trini muttered as she dropped some thick chocolate chunks into the batter.  
  
"That remains to be determined." Tanya said exchanging looks with Kim.  
  
Trini muttered something else that no one else could quite pick out but perhaps that was a good thing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"1, 2, 3, 4..."  
  
Zack leaned his head back and sighed. "I can't believe the girls are out at some hot new club while we're sitting around playing monopoly."  
  
Tommy grinned. "I am not going to go to some strip club just to satisfy your curiosity."  
  
"It would have been fun."  
  
"Not when your girlfriend finds out." Billy pointed out as he bought in more popcorn. "I still say that we should have gone to the movies."  
  
"What is it going to look like when a couple of good looking guys are at the movies together?" Rocky peeped in with a grin.  
  
Tommy laughed. "That we're gay."   
  
Billy laughed. "Hey, I'm the only one here that doesn't have a significant other."  
  
"Don't forget Adam and Jason." Rocky pointed out.  
  
"Adam is at work. Pulling the graveyard shift is going to kill him for the rest of tomorrow." Billy picked up the dices. "And as for Jason..."  
  
"What about me?" Jason asked as he came in.  
  
Tommy turned his head toward his friend. "Hey, you done with those blueprint corrections?"  
  
"Yeah, sorry about that guys. But Jeremy really needed me to look at them tonight for tomorrow's meeting." Jason sat down with a sigh. He had a terrible feeling that the whole Venetian project was going to land squarely on his shoulders. And his initial reaction to the extensions was wrong, they were going to need some careful corrections and work to fix what has already been done. On top of which, he was going to have to go back and tear down the work that was already done and reinforce everything. "Looks like I'm going to be flying in and out of the state in the foreseeable future."  
  
"Oh you poor thing," Rocky clapped his hand together and looked mockingly sympathetic. "Having to travel all across the US, living in grand hotels, dining the finest food they have to offer, having your every need seen to," he sighed dramatically. "I pity you."  
  
Jason hurled the couch cushion with all his might at Rocky's head, who was laughing hysterically until the pillow smashed into his face. "You like it so much, you do it!"  
  
"Besides which," Tommy announced causally. "I really doubt Jason likes leaving his fiancée behind."  
  
Billy, Zack and Rocky gaped in absolute shock at that little bombshell while Jason groaned and dropped his head into his hands.   
  
"A little payback, my friend." Tommy said with a grin and patted him on the back. "This will teach you to keep me in the dark about this nuclear bomb you had in your closet for so long."  
  
"You suck, Tommy." Jason muttered before sighing and sitting back awaiting the bombardment of questions he was sure to be getting now.  
  
Rocky closed his mouth first before shaking his head. "Okay, start from the beginning and don't leave anything out."  
  
"Who is she?" Zack asked with great disbelief. "You're kidding right?"  
  
"Does Trini know?" Billy asked with great caution.   
  
"Trini's been in on the secret before I was," Tommy said rather disgruntled, completely missing the look on Billy's face. It still irked him that he didn't see this coming at all. "I thought I was suppose to be your best friend here."  
  
"Tommy..." Jason said consolingly. "It's like you said, Trini and I are keeping each other's secrets."  
  
"What?" Billy frowned. "What secret?" his mind racing at lightspeed. Wait a second here!  
  
Tommy sighed. "Trini has got a mystery boyfriend she won't tell the name of to Kim, which has Kim all in a fuss. I ask Wonderboy here to talk to Trini and apparently instead of reporting back, he and her traded the secrets of their lives behind our backs instead."  
  
"Hold it!" Billy rubbed his forehead. Way too much information to process here. "Trini is in another relationship. I thought she said she was going to give up on guys after her last freak of nature."   
  
"Freak of Nature?" Rocky laughed. "Geeze Billy, be nice now."  
  
"What? Those were her exact words." Billy pointed out. One of the nicer ones anyways.  
  
"Well apparently she changed her mind," Tommy said as he picked up the monopoly pieces, the game was pretty much abandoned. "Cause she's been having an affair, sexual one at that, with this guy and won't tell Kimberly who he is. I have a feeling that she may be just pulling Kim's leg."  
  
"Why?" Billy asked, looking at a rather happily grinning Jason. If he thinks he's getting off the hook he has another thing coming to him. He threw the pillow at Jason. "Stop grinning, you're next."  
  
Tommy sighed. "Well, just look at Trini. Does she look like the type of girl that goes out and sleeps with the first pretty face that steps up to plate?"  
  
Zack picked up the popcorns again. "He's right. No one is more careful with their dates than Trini is. I don't see her as having an affair with anyone."  
  
"You mean as likely as I am to have an affair?" Jason concluded logically. Well, since Trini and I agreed that we were going to start dropping hints around, I don't see that this isn't a good opportunity to do so.  
  
"Yeah, that's exactly... oh, I see your point." Zack scratched his head. "But I just don't know..."  
  
"Whatever it is, and whoever he is, I'm sure we can handle him." Billy said with conviction. Nother relationship like her last one and she's likely to go celibate on us. A cranky celibate woman is not one we want to be around. "Now Jason..."  
  
"Don't ask cause I'm not talking." Jason crossed his arms and smiled. "It's none of your business who I see and she hasn't said yes yet since I haven't popped the question yet so just wait on that."  
  
"But you're going to." Rocky frowned. "You're going to get married if she says yes."  
  
"Well, yeah!" Jason grinned widened. "I've never felt so sure in my life that I'm doing the right thing. Well, except when the whole Power Ranger thing came along. And god, I have never felt so alive!"  
  
"Oh boy," Zack shook his head in true sympathy. Who knew it would come to this! "He's been bitten bad."  
  
"Bitten?"  
  
"By the love bug!"  
  
Pillows and popcorn flew.   
  
"Moving on..." Jason said with a shake of his head. "Rocky!"  
  
"What?" all wide eyed, innocent like.  
  
"Let's talk about Aisha."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "And believe me when I say that they're definitely in need for some major help here."  
  
This was a short one that had to be gotten out of the way first. Another chapter to follow hopefully by Friday, I promise!  



	34. Friendly Help

New Start 2  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To The Girl in the Red Jacket, you know that hearing from you is always a wonderful encouragement to me. Thanks for encouraging me to bring out the non-canon couples, which are my favorite. Keep on writing girl, cause you do it like no one else.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Four  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Let's talk about Aisha."  
  
Rocky made a face. "Do we have to? I already went a couple of rounds with Adam over this."  
  
"That was Adam, this is us." Billy pointed out and settled back. He had a feeling that this is going to take some time. "Now, what happened last night that got Aisha all teary eyed."  
  
"Oh god...."  
  
"Wait a minute," Tommy turned to Billy with a concern eye. "What do you mean by that?" He didn't like that he's been missing so many thing among their little group. "When was Aisha crying?"  
  
"Last night in the Princeton campus." Zack answered with a grin. "You were too busy playing with Kim to notice anything pass her pretty little shoulders."  
  
Tommy gave him a good frown for that little opinion. "I'm a man in love."  
  
"And that would explain it," Zack teased.   
  
Tommy rolled his eyes. "Anyways...."  
  
They all turned expectedly on Rocky who sighed and leaned back in his chair. "We were trying to clear the air."  
  
"And?"  
  
"It didn't go as planned."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"I started to apologize for that night and he just jumped right in and took the blame of everything." Aisha sighed and looked positively miserable.  
  
"He said that it was his fault?" Tanya asked, her eyes wide and curious. In all the times that she's brought up the incidence, she's never gotten a real answer out of Aisha before this. Looks like all the bottled up emotions are finally going to get an outlet tonight.  
  
"Yes," she wanted to cry. "God, it's so like him to want me to believe that it was his fault so that I don't feel like such a jerk for taking advantage of him the way I did."  
  
"You took advantage of him?" Trini's lips curled gently at the ends as she stirred the big pot of vanilla pudding that was cooking on the stove while the cake was being backed.   
  
"Yeah, hard to believe that our dear Rocky is the victim here, huh?" Aisha asked, rather embarrassed that she was admitting to seducing one of their own. "But I couldn't help myself that night. It was like something in me took over and I just wanted him so bad that I didn't even care that he may not..."  
  
"Oh please," Kimberly waved her hand dismissively. "He's a guy and he's young. Of course he wanted it."  
  
"Yes but under normal circumstances, had his head been screwed on right, he won't even think about..."  
  
"He'd think about." Tanya pointed out with conviction. "He's a guy."  
  
"That doesn't excuse what I did." Aisha sighed and took a sip of the cappuccino that Trini made up for them. "Like I said, I wasn't really myself that night."  
  
"Might have been all that liquor he poured down your throat!" Trini pointed out with her wooden cooking spoon.  
  
"It's not like he forced me to drink that night," Aisha said defending him rather awkwardly. "And it wasn't like I was so drunk that I couldn't remember anything."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"She was so drunk that she could barely stand." Rocky shook his head in disgust. "I don't know what I was thinking!"  
  
"Probably cause you didn't have enough blood in your head to think." Zack sighed and popped open the bottle of whiskey that Tommy bought out for the talk. "Not that I'm saying that I can blame you for it."  
  
"I should have known better, though." Rocky frowned. "But you didn't see her that night." He smiled just remembering it. "She wore this red dress with the tiny straps and little silver pieces around her neck. And that heels, they were crush your man underneath you kind of heels with the little strappy things."  
  
The others grinned at the far away look in Rocky's eyes as he recalled the beautiful and wonder he felt as first seeing the fair goddess from a distance.   
  
"And she had a smile that could just stop traffic. It made her eyes look like stars in the night with your out in the country side and there's nothing in the world but you and the sky." He wanted to forever savior feeling of blessedness when he realized that not many people got to see Aisha in all her radiances. "I could have died a happy man just seeing her like that."  
  
Zack winced exaggeratedly. "And another one bites the dust."  
  
Billy shook his head in response. "You know, if I'd known that you were this in love with her, I would never have teased you so bad about it."  
  
"Did you tell her how you felt?" Jason asked, knowing that the words meant something when they came from the heart.   
  
"Yeah," Rocky nodded his head sadly. "I told her."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"And he said that he loved me since before he could remember," Aisha whispered the words so dear to her head that she's never shared them until now. She could feel the tears gather in her eyes. "But god, he was so drunk that he didn't even know that he said it, but what it made me feel....."  
  
Trini turned down the fire to a slow simmer and reached over to hug Aisha. "Are you sure? Are you positive that he doesn't remember saying it?"  
  
"I asked him," she sniffed. "Last night, I asked him."  
  
"And he said he didn't remember?" Tanya asked with great concerned. It never really acquired to her just how in love Aisha was. "Did he actually say the words?"  
  
"No," she shook her head. "But you could tell just looking in his eyes..."  
  
"Aisha," Kimberly took the girl's hands. "Don't ever assume anything! God, look at all the mistakes people have made just by going on assumptions."  
  
"She's right," Trini shook her head. "You have to know for a fact that he doesn't remember. While you may think that he was totally inebriated, he may have been more alert that you think." She tilted her head and thought it over. "And if I remember correctly, it's Adam that's got a low tolerance for alcohol, not Rocky."  
  
"He was tripping over himself that night." Aisha pointed out. "If that's not drunk, I don't know what is."  
  
Tanya grinned suddenly. "But he had no problems...performing?"  
  
"Perform...." Aisha blushed hotly. "No, he had no problems in that department. Only the standing up straight part."  
  
"Then he couldn't have been too drunk." Kimberly smiled and nodded her head. "I think he was more sober that you believe."  
  
"I highly doubt that."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Are you sure she doesn't remember that night?" Jason asked yet again. "I mean, I really don't see Aisha as the type to over indulge on alcohol."  
  
"Like you're not the type to have affairs?" Rocky retorted.   
  
"First time for everything." Jason smiled.  
  
"Exactly," Rocky sighed for what he felt was the hundredth time that night. "Look I appreciate the encouragement and all but..."  
  
"You need to talk to her." Billy stated simply. Hum... you should take your own advise Billy boy. "You need to find out the truth of the matter and get pass this awkward stage in your relationship. You owe it to yourself and to Aisha to see if there really isn't anything there."  
  
He sighed, his heart felt achy and a little too tight for his chest. A big part of him wanted to believe that there really was a chance that he could have the most wonderful thing that ever came into his life. But another part of him was so afraid. As long as he didn't know the answer for sure, he could still hold on to that hope and dream. "I guess."  
  
"So, you'll talk to her?" Tommy asked quietly, not liking that their usually happy friendly pal was so down in the dumps. The frown and worried lines around his eyes were very unbecoming on him.   
  
"If she'll talk to me." He sounded horribly forlorn.  
  
Jason smiled suddenly, remembering something send before. "Oh, I'm sure that something can be arranged.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Trini rubbed her eyes and watched Aisha and the others talk quietly in the living room while she grabbed the pot off the stove. The Chocolate Death Cake was almost done, as soon as the frosting was ready to pour. The vanilla éclairs were good to go when they've been properly chilled. This night was for girly indulgence and got old talks of their favorite subject at hand. Boys!  
  
The ringing phone was a small annoyance but she picked it up quickly. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey yourself, angel." Jason grinned on his end and glanced quickly at the door of the kitchen, not wanting to disturb the others or be over heard. "I've got a plan."  
  
"Does this involve me getting to sleep in your arms tonight?" She asked with great fun as she kept peeking into the other room.  
  
"No, I'm afraid not at the moment and there are some things on that end that I need to talk to you about before too long." He explained quickly as he glanced at the microwave. The popcorn was popping along just fine. "No, this has to do with a certain former red ranger and yellow ranger that isn't you or me."  
  
She grinned. "Aisha and Rocky, huh?"  
  
"What do you have in mind?"  
  
"You and the girls willing to play along if I get something set up tomorrow?" He asked, hoping that he was going to get to talk to Tommy and their others without the man of the subject overhearing.   
  
"Sure, I'll do my part to help a friend in need." She sighed and glanced at the living room again. "And believe me when I say that they're definitely in need for some major help here."  
  
"Good, I'll call you tomorrow with the details."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I missed you last night." Jason admitted softly.   
  
Trini felt her heart melt into a great big puddle on the ground. "I missed you too."  
  
"See you tomorrow?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"I love you, angel."  
  
"I love you too, Jason." She hung up the phone and hugged herself tightly. What did I ever do to get so lucky?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 28, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Angel?" Tommy asked with great curiosity. "Is that her name?"  
  
Jason sighed and decided that he didn't want to play this game right now. "I'm not talking so you can stop asking." He pointed to the door. "Besides which, I want to talk to you about a plan."  
  
"A plan? What plan?"  
  
"A good one."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
"Thomas Oliver's office."  
  
"Mr. Oliver please. Tell him it's Sydney."  
  
"Tommy here, tell me you have good news for me, Syd."  
  
"You have the house."   
  
Tommy would have stood up and did a little happy dance if he hadn't thought that it would be very bad for his corporate image. "When?"  
  
"By the beginning of next week at the earliest."  
  
"That long?"  
  
"Tommy, give the poor people a chance to move out first."  
  
"Oh all right." Tommy was too happy with the prespects of having Kim all to himself to care. The past two nights were simply not the same without her. "Keep me informed of the progress?"  
  
"Always. Talk to you later, my friend."  
  
"Thanks, Syd."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"You have all that, Kim?" Trini glanced at her door where Janice was now sitting next to. "I don't really have time to go over all the details right now."  
  
"Yeah, I pretty much have the crucial parts of the plan down. That's rather ingenious of Jason to have thought about it." Kimberly laughed with great fun.   
  
"I thought so too."  
  
"So all we have to do is play our part and everything should be pulled off without a hitch?"  
  
"That's what we're hoping."   
  
Kim could almost see it now. "Okay then, I'm more that willing to do my part to help long. I've never seen Aisha so miserable. It's like her whole reason for being was taken from her."  
  
"I seem to recall a time when you were pretty much in that state of being." Trini teased with a grin. "I mean, that whole letter thing nearly..."  
  
"Okay, okay, let's not rehash the past now."  
  
"Just thought that I would..."  
  
"Yeah, I know what you thought you pain in the...."  
  
"Hey now, we're in the middle of work. Hardly the ideal place for this kind of language."  
  
"You should talk," Kim grinned and glanced at Karen and Peter who were listening to the conversation with vivid fascination. "I'll talk to you later about this. Here's to hoping it all works."  
  
"I'll second that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Vogue Magazine Inc.  
6500 Wellington Avenue, Suite 600  
New York City, New York  
  
"Kimberly Hart."  
  
"Hey, Beautiful." Tommy grinned into the phone, overall happy with life and everything it has to offer to him at the moment. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm setting up a college for the Fall double sized issue. I'm on a deadline here, Tommy. What do you need?" Kimberly pointed to the overly pink stack of papers and one of the dozen other designers at the table picked it up quickly and handed it to her.   
  
"Now, is that any way to greet your boyfriend when he took all the trouble of calling you in the middle of his busy day?"  
  
"Tommy, you know that I love you but you're being a pain. Between your phone call, Zack's, and Trini's, I'm behind on my work already. And if we're to pull off Jason's little scheme tonight, I need to get out of this building on time." She hissed as she nicked herself with a sharp edged knife she was using to crop pictures.  
  
"You all right?" Tommy asked concerned now.  
  
"Yeah," she sucked on the finger a little and grabbed her box of bandaids under the table.   
  
"Okay, then I'll make this quick. If I can arrange it, would you mind spending the night with me?" Tommy asked.  
  
"Would I mind?" Despite of her hurry, she found the question to be ridiculously funny. The grin that bloomed on her face was worth stopping traffic for. Turning away from her co-workers, she held her hand over the phone to whisper, "Let me get this straight. Are you asking me if I would mind having your wonderfully delicious body next to me all night? Is that what you're saying here?"  
  
Tommy laughed. "Yeah, that's what I'm asking here."  
  
"No, you idiot. I won't mind one bit. I missed you these last few days."  
  
"Me too, Beautiful. Me too." Tommy glanced at his watch. "Okay. So, I'll see you tonight?"  
  
"Won't miss it for anything."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
Tommy flipped through his phone book frustrated beyond belief. "Amy? Could you get me the number to Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office?"  
  
A few moments later, his trusty secretary was in with a pale yellow post-it paper. "Here you go."  
  
"Thanks." Dialing the number, he tapped his fingers on his table until the lady herself picked it up. "Trini, I need a huge favor."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Kimberly buttoned her blouse quickly and rushed down the stairs she refused to go out again in her work clothes. "All ready."  
  
"Whose idea was it to go koreroing?" Tanya asked with a quick twinkle in her eyes.   
  
Trini laughed. "I believe it was Zack's idea. But I think he only wanted to do it to hear how bad the rest of us sounds."  
  
"Please let us get a private room for this." Aisha pleaded. "It's bad enough that I have to humiliate myself in front my friends but to do so in public?"  
  
"Oh, like the yellow spandex suits we wore as Power Rangers were bad enough?" Trini giggled along with the rest of the former rangers.   
  
"Relax," Kimberly tied her hair into a ponytail. "Jason and Tommy went out and rented one of those machines and are now setting it up in his family room. Have you seen the big ass television and sound system in there?"  
  
"Jason has it made in the shades," Tanya said with a grin. "Wish I had a man like that."  
  
"Why not?" Aisha pointed out. "It's not like he's seeing anyone. Go for it, my friend."  
  
Trini glanced at them out the corner of her eyes, feeling both guilty over not telling them and amused over this whole situation.   
  
Kimberly snorted at seeing the look on her best friend's face. "You're not even going to warn her, are you?"  
  
Trini's eyes went wide while the other two former yellow rangers looked startled. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Tommy told me what was going on," Kimberly pointed out with great indignation. "I can't believe you told Jason about your mystery man first. And you've been keeping his secrets as well."  
  
Trini felt rather at lost in this suddenly whirlwind of information. "I'm not sure what you're..."  
  
"Oh please, don't play dumb with me." Kimberly picked up her purse. "And don't think that I won't extract my little retribution for it either." Then flounced out the door.  
  
"What is she talking about?" Tanya asked, suddenly curious.  
  
Trini's eyes held her genuine bewilderment. "I have no clue."  
  
"I think Tommy is a bad influence on her," Aisha nodded her head and grabbed her purse as well.   
  
The other two exchanged glanced then nodded. "Yep, no doubt about it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Oh, that was b...b...b...bad." Rocky laughed as Adam finished his horrible rendition of "Bad to the Bones."   
  
"Okay, so I don't have a whole lot of musical talent but no one said that you had to carry a tune to save the world or save a life." Adam said in his own defense. He laughed good naturally with the rest of them.   
  
"That's for sure," Billy laughed as he took a sip of juice that was provided. It's been so long since he's had the benefit of having his friends around, he was having so much fun tonight. "Cause I'm sure Rita's Trumpet Monster would have run for the hills had he heard us singing."  
  
The others laughed as the two continued to rag on each other over their equal lack of musical skills. It was not hard to see that the two were sharing commiserating laughs over their own pathetic attempts.   
  
"Okay, okay, quiet now. I want to hear my girl sing." Tommy said as he headed the microphone to Kimberly with a gallant gesture. "Come on, my pink princess. Show these clowns how it should be done."  
  
Kim grinned and scooted over to Trini, who held the musical selection book in her lap. Pointing to one she had been thinking about earlier, she glanced at Trini with a questioning raised brow. Trini laughed and helped her make the selection. Kim got up and went closer to the monitor. With a quick mischievous grin for Tommy, she stuck up the tune with great enthusiasm.   
  
Kimberly stood there and sang a wonderfully version of "Wind Beneath My Wings." Putting her heart into it, she gave Tommy a little of the love that he showered her with everyday. Her heart felt full of live and song at that moment. She was a woman in love and living in the moment. Come what may on the morrow, nothing could every take this moment of wonder from her.  
  
"Oh, that was so cute." Tanya laughed and pointed at Tommy. "You're way too lucky for your own good, my dear White Ranger."  
  
"And I know it," Tommy grabbed Kimberly by the waist and pull her into his lap. He could literally feel his heart swell with love for the petite woman he has in his arms. "Thank you my love, that was beautiful."  
  
"Okay, if you two are any cuter, I'm going to throw up!" Rocky made gagging noises which had Tommy and Kimberly both throwing popcorn at him He may rag on them but taking a quick peek at Aisha, he also felt a suddenly choking rush of jealousy for the happy couple. When was he going to find that kind of happiness?  
  
"Your turn Jason," Tanya said tossing the microphone at him.   
  
Jason groaned as he caught the mic in mid air. Give him a good fight any day and he can handle with ease, ask him to sing and he felt like he would rather go head to head with a six-headed monster with nothing but a wrench in his hand. "I don't think that's a good idea. You've never heard me sing before."   
  
"No time like the present my friend. Oh come on Jason, everyone gets a turn." Zack laughed and pointed to the mic. "Even the tone-deaf Adam and Billy sang. You could not possibly be worse than those two."  
  
"HEY" Both men threw popcorn in protest.   
  
"Here," Trini smiled sweetly at him and opened the book. She could tell by the slight pinkness on his cheek that he was really embarrassed. "Want me to help you select a song?"  
  
Jason eyed her with trepidation. "Do I look completely insane to you?"  
  
"Here bro," Tommy got up and walked over. "If we have to be made the laughing stock of the Power Rangers, at least we can do it together. Got anything that could count as a number both of us can do."  
  
"I got one." Jason said punching in the number before anyone else got a good look at what he had selected.   
  
Tommy paused briefly to look at the screen then smile. "Okay, I can do that."  
  
"Rather lovely, don't you think?" Jason asked as the first notes came to live.  
  
"Yeah," he grinned. "I've always liked the movie. And considering our history, rather appropriate."  
  
When it's love you give (I'll be man of good faith)  
Then in love you live (I'll make a stand, I won't break)  
I'll be the rock you can build on  
Be there when you're old, to have and to hold  
  
When there's love inside (I swear I'll always be strong)  
Then there's a reason why (I'll prove to you we belong)  
I'll be the wall that protects you  
From the wind and the rain  
From the hurt and pain.  
  
Let's make it all for one and all for love  
Let the one you hold be the one you want  
The one you need  
'Cause when it's all for one it's one for all  
When there's someone that should know  
Then just let your feelings show  
And make it all for one and all for love  
  
Jason wanted to laugh; it was a lot easier than he remembered. Plus he had the extra benefit of having Trini sitting here, looking at him with a smile that seem to radiate through the whole room. God she's beautiful.  
  
Tommy grinned at Kimberly. Her whole face was filled with such wonder and light that he forgot for a moment that he was in a room full of his friends and family. The world only held him and her for those few second. Soon, it really will just be you and me.  
  
When it's love you make (I'll be the fire in your night)  
Then it's love you take (I will defend, I will fight)  
I'll be there when you need me.  
When honor's at stake, this vow I will make  
  
That it's all for one and all for love  
Let the one be the one you want  
The one you need  
'Cause when it's all for one it's one for all  
When there's someone that should know  
Then just let your feelings show  
And make it all for one and all for love  
  
Don't lay our love to rest  
'Cause we could stand up to your test  
We got everything and more than we had planned  
More than the rivers that run the land  
We've got it all in our hands  
  
Now it's all for one and all for love (It's all for love)  
Let the one you hold be the one you want  
The one you need  
'Cause when it's all for one it's one for all (It's one for all)  
When there's someone that should know  
Then just let your feelings show  
When there's someone that you want  
When there's someone that you need  
Let's make it all, all for one and all for love  
  
The wonderful final cords ran across the house as the former world saving team stood up, clapped, whistled and hollered with appreciation. Zack clapped the two men on the back. "Now, that's what I call singing?"  
  
Kimberly leaned over and kissed her man. "Now when did you learn to sing and didn't tell me about it?"  
  
Tommy blushed and laughed. "So it was not bad?"  
  
"A whole lot better than your singing in the showers," she teased and shared a kiss with him that was long enough to get another round of hollering and whistling going among their friends. "That's to let you know that you can sing to me any day."  
  
"How does he sound in the shower?" Tanya asked with a sly grin. "And how often have you been in there with him?"  
  
Trini laughed and exchanged quick glances with Jason, whose eyes were twinkling with amusement over this little turn of events. While he's never sang in the shower with her, he certain does remember some rather interesting moments shared under a hot spray of water.   
  
Billy watched the play with great fun, especially when Kimberly started to protest her innocence. But his main focus all night had on Jason and Trini's interactions. He had a misgiving that contrary to what Tommy believe, Trini and Jason are hiding more than just their respective significant others. There was something strange going on there. He hadn't quite put his finger on what was bothering him about the whole thing but he knew that something wasn't quite normal there.   
  
"Trini, you're up next." Aisha handed the microphone to the Asian beauty as she flipped through the songbook. "And pick something romantic since other than Adam, it seems to be the theme for the night."  
  
Kimberly grinned. "And since most songs are either about love or pain, let's choose the happier of the two subjects here."  
  
Trini laughed and picked the song that she thought was rather appropriate and sweet. "Okay, I need a volunteer for this cause it's a duet."  
  
Jason wanted to get up and sing with her even if he really didn't have much confidence with his own abilities, but knew that that was probably a bad idea. Billy had been watching him rather closely all evening and he had a sneaking suspicion that the boy was seeing a whole lot more than their other friends were. He almost grinned at that thought, Tommy would no doubt be pretty upset again if Billy were to figure out the truth first.  
  
"Oh no, I'm not going up again." Tommy laughed and pushed the offered mic away while Kimberly laughed. "Pick another victim."  
  
Adam shook his head as well. "Like you guys said, I really don't want to abuse you musical sense anymore tonight. Once is enough."  
  
Billy grinned suddenly, his eyes winkling with mischief. "Jason, since you did a wonderful tune there, get up there and help out your fellow conspirator."  
  
Trini's brows came together as Jason shot him a look and reluctantly got up to sing with her. She leaned over and asked, "Fellow conspirators?"  
  
He laughed. "I'll tell you later."  
  
She shrugged and pointed to the song. "Do you know it?"  
  
Jason forced his face to stay neutral. "Yeah, I know it. And watch out, Billy is on the prowl."  
  
Nodding her head, she started the song. "You know, this one can apply to the one's we're about to pay a trick on tonight."  
  
"You said it." Jason grinned and started to sing the song.   
  
I finally found someone, that knocks me off my feet  
I finally found the one, that makes me feel complete  
It started over coffee, we started out as friends  
It's funny how from simple things,  
the best things begin  
  
This time it's different,  
It's all because of you,  
It's better than it's ever been  
'Cause we can talk it through  
Oohh, my favorite line was "Can I call you sometime?"  
It's all you had to say to take my breath away  
  
This is it, oh, I finally found someone  
Someone to share my life  
I finally found the one, to be with every night  
'Cause whatever I do, it's just got to be you  
My life has just begun  
I finally found someone,  
I finally found someone,  
  
Did I keep you waiting? - I didn't mind  
I apologize - baby, that's fine  
I would wait forever  
just to know you were mine  
  
You know, I love your hair - are you sure it looks right?  
I love what you wear - isn't it too tight?  
You're exceptional;  
I can't wait for the rest of my life  
  
This is it, oh, I finally found someone  
Someone to share my life  
I finally found the one, to be with every night  
'Cause whatever I do, it's just got to be you  
My life has just begun  
I finally found someone,  
I finally found someone,  
  
Whatever I do, it's just got to be you  
My life has just begun  
I finally found someone  
  
"Oh, that's so beautiful." Tanya cried with a quick sneaky peek at Aisha and Rocky, who were both even more subdued than before. "And I think so wonderfully right for this occasion. Aisha? Don't you think?"  
  
"I hate you both," she said taking the mic. from Trini, who grinned at her. "You're going to die in your sleep tonight."  
  
"Oh, I think I may have other plans for the evening. As probably do you," Trini hinted rather mysteriously with a quick grin for the rest of the group with the exception of Rocky.   
  
"What's it going to be?" Tanya asked with a grin as she offered the song book. "Come one, pick something interesting?"  
  
Aisha could only imagine what Tanya had in mind but she was determined not to humiliate herself in front of Rocky any more than she already had. She was going to pick something neutral and easy to sing.   
  
I hate the world today; you're so good to me  
I know but I can't change  
Tried to tell you, but you look at me like  
Maybe I'm an angel underneath  
Innocent and sweet  
  
Yesterday I cried  
You must have been relieved to see the softer side  
I can understand how you'd be so confused, I don't envy you  
I'm a little bit of everything all rolled into one  
  
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover  
I'm a child, I'm a mother  
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint  
I do not feel ashamed  
I'm your hell, I'm your dream  
I'm nothing in between  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way  
  
So take me as I am  
This may mean you'll have to be a stronger man  
Rest assured that when I start to make you nervous  
And I'm going to extremes  
Tomorrow I will change and today won't mean a thing  
  
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover  
I'm a child, I'm a mother  
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint  
I do not feel ashamed  
I'm your hell, I'm your dream  
I'm nothing in between  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way  
  
Just when you think you've got me figured out  
The season is already changing  
I think it's cool you do what you do  
And don't try to save me  
  
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover  
I'm a child, I'm a mother  
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint  
I do not feel ashamed  
I'm your hell, I'm your dream  
I'm nothing in between  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way  
  
I'm a bitch, I'm a tease  
I'm a goddess on my knees  
When you're hurt, when you suffer  
I'm your angel undercover  
I've been numb, I'm revived  
Can't say I'm not alive  
You know I wouldn't want it any other way  
  
"Yeah, you go girl!" Tanya laughed as she got up and hugged Aisha tightly whispering into her ear, "Just hang in here girl, you're not down for the count yet in this little game of love."   
  
Aisha frowned at her. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"All the girls now," Kim said as she dragged Trini to her feet. "Come on, I have the perfect song for us."  
  
"Oh oh," Rocky made a face. "Be afraid, be very afraid."  
  
Billy laughed and awaited the entertainment.  
  
I come home in the morning light  
My mother says when you gonna live your life right  
Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones  
And girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have fun  
  
The phone rings in the middle of the night  
My father yells what you gonna do with your life  
Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one  
But girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have--  
  
That's all they really want   
Some fun  
When the working day is done  
Girls-- they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have fun  
  
Some boys take a beautiful girl  
And hide her away from the rest of the world  
I want to be the one to walk in the sun  
Oh girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have   
  
That's all they really want  
Some fun  
When the working day is done  
Girls--they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have fun,  
They want to have fun,  
They want to have fun...  
  
The ladies squealed like the young women they were, fully of fun and happiness in a time of their lives when everything was bright and beautiful. They had friends, family, and loved ones. It truly was the time of their lives.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"You have to see this, I couldn't believe it when I found it yesterday." Jason said as he lead the way up the stairs. "My family always were a great proponent of good housing in..."  
  
"Jason, I swear to god if you're dragging us all the way to the attic to see molding? I'm going to kill you and brick you into your beloved attic." Rocky said with a groan. He's knees were hurting from the impromptu wrestling match with Adam as the boys dragged the reluctant doctor into singing a chorus of "Wild Things."  
  
"No way," Jason grinned at Tommy who looked ready to burst from laugher. Jason knew that Tommy was coming pretty close to spilling his guts out. The man never could keep a secret for long. "I would never be so heartless as to you drag everyone to the attic to enlighten you all with the wonders of modern renovation of ancient homes."  
  
"So why are we going again?" Aisha had a really bad feeling about this. Perhaps it was because she has never been able to look at an attic the same way again after reading "Dolls in the Attic" as a child.  
  
"I want to show you guys these landscape paintings that I found there the other day. They are incredible." Jason caught the look from Billy and merely shrugged his shoulders. He was not too good that these things.  
  
"Paintings?" Rocky asked, as Jason pushed the trap door open slowly. "You want us to do an art appreciation tour now? It's the middle of the night."  
  
"I'll only take a few minutes, Rocky." Kimberly admonished with a great deal of enthusiasm.   
  
Through some clever maneuvering on the conspirator's parts, Jason entered the attic first followed by Rocky, then Tanya and then Aisha while Tommy held the trap door and the others stayed behind pausing as if to speak.   
  
"Wow," Tanya went to the middle of the room, where a sheet had been set out with a big silver set in the middle. "Look at this."  
  
Aisha dutifully came and looked at the antique silverware, quite impressed by the craftsmanship of the silver. "They're beautiful." She leaned closer then simply sat down on the sheets to get a good look by the light that Jason had installed into the attic room. "Look that this carving."  
  
Tanya grinned rather smugly at Jason.   
  
Jason almost laughed as Tanya snuck off. "Hey Adam, could you get that box over there? I think it belongs in the library."  
  
"Oh sure," Rocky made his way half way across the room before he heard the distinctive snap of the attic trap door shutting and the simply slide lock being pushed into place. "Hey!"  
  
Aisha turned in time to see Tanya waving cheerfully at her before disappearing beneath the door. "Wait a minute."  
  
"Hey, open this door!" Rocky yelled, all too conscious that Aisha was knelt next to him, pounding on the wooden door. "What are you guys doing?"  
  
"WE THOUGHT THAT WE'D GIVE YOU BOTH A LITTLE TIME ALONE TO WORK OUT YOUR PROBLEMS. CAUSE EVERYONE IS IN AGREEMENT THAT YOU TWO COULD POSSIBLY BE THE BIGGEST IDIOTS ON EARTH. SO BEING THE GOOD FRIENDS THAT WE ARE, WE'VE ARRANGED FOR THIS LITTLE THERAPY SESSION." Tanya yelled back with a grin that indicated that she was having way too much fun at their expense.   
  
Aisha pounded on the door again. "Tanya, I swear...."  
  
"DON'T WORRY, YOU CAN THANK ME LATER."   
  
"Not if I kill you first." She slammed her fist into the wood then hollering in pain.   
  
Rocky grabbed her fist before she could do any more damage to herself. "Don't bother, it's solid oak." He sighed and leaned back on his hunches. "Hey guys?"  
  
"Yes, Rocky?" Kimberly answered rather sweetly.   
  
"You do realize that I have to get to work tomorrow morning, right?"  
  
"Yeah," Tommy answered with a laugh. "Don't worry, one of us will come unlock the door before seven. Enjoy your night guys."  
  
"You're a dead man, Oliver."  
  
"I know, everyone keeps telling me that." Tommy swung an arm around Kim. "Let's go."  
  
Jason shook his head. "Oh, by the way, there's a mattress in the corner and sleeping bags next to it, water and biscuits in a tin next to that. Enjoy."  
  
"Good night, guys." Billy called out.  
  
Rocky glanced at Aisha. "I guess it's just you and me then."  
  
She thought this could not possibility be any worse of a situation. "I guess."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from next chapter: "I can't lose you."  



	35. Casual Talk

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your fan fic go?   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Five  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay, I guess this would bring our evening to a close." Jason grinned with a great deal of satisfaction over a job well done. "I'm glad I had someone clean that place out before I moved in."  
  
"Yeah," Tanya laughed and looked around. "So, do I get the futon tonight?"  
  
"Sure," Zack offered. "I'll go sleep in Rocky's room."  
  
"And Trini can have my room again." Tommy said as he grabbed his overnight bag from the closet.   
  
"Wait a minute," Kimberly looked slightly befuddled. "What's going on?"  
  
Trini grinned. "Your boyfriend has very politely kicked me out of my house for the evening so he can spend some quality time with you. And he now owes me a huge favor which I will be collecting in the near future."  
  
Tommy smiled innocently at Kimberly who was scowling up at him. "Thomas Edward Oliver, how could be do something so...."  
  
"Guy-like?" Tanya offered with a sweet smile for her friend. "Oh relax, we don't mind."  
  
"Yeah," Trini nodded her head. "Besides which, I needed to pick Jason's head about the Venetian project. This works out fine." She turned to a groaning Jason. "Now none of that, you knew that this was coming."  
  
"I didn't know it was going so soon. I don't even have half the new construction plans up yet." Jason complained.  
  
"Well, they'll have to wait for now, besides, I don't need those things. I just need your expertise on architecture. Oh, and don't let me leave here without setting a date for you to be deposed. I think we may have to go back to Nevada for that one." Trini frowned as her mind began to churn with possibilities. "Unless I can talk the opposing side to depose you here which means that..."  
  
"What do you mean by depose?" Jason asked confused with all the balls in the air now. He was having trouble following Trini's line of thought.  
  
"I want to take your deposition, set you up as our expert witness since you are the leading man on the firm that took over, which can point to a conflict of interest but I can get around that. Plus, you've seen the place and what's been done to it. A first hand account is always a good thing." She grabbed her briefcase from near the door and started toward the library. I hope I bought my tape recorder. "Can we work somewhere that has lots of lights?"  
  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Jason chased after her.  
  
Zack grinned with amusement. "I sincerely hope that Trini doesn't turn Jason's brain into mesh by the end of the evening. Every heard her in court? Never doing that again. Had a headache for three hours afterwards."  
  
"You're telling me!" Billy grinned and glanced behind the two rapidly disappearing couple. He was going to have to take the time to talk to them one-on-one sometimes soon. He really didn't like being left in the dark anymore than the next guy.   
  
Adam's eyes suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree. "Hey, if Trini's staying the night, this means we get real breakfast tomorrow morning!" He and Zack gave each other high fives.  
  
"Okay, my dear. Let's go." Tommy said with a smile for his still glowering girl.   
  
"You are so going to get it!" She growled low as she pushed passed him.  
  
He merely smiled indulgently. "I certainly hope so."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Katherine Hallard's Residence  
58 Pondarosa Road  
Sydney, Australia  
  
Kat sat there rather pensively staring outside her window. The sun was just beginning to set and threw a beautiful golden light over the city. She kind of regretted not living in the countryside with her aunt Jane but her job kept her close to the city. Besides, she wasn't sure she could go back living under the authority of another since her relatives will always see her as the baby in the family.  
  
The ringing phone really begged to be thrown out the window when she was in this kind of mood. Picking up the offending objection, she answered it in a sharp clipped tone, strongly discouraging anyone of the other line to be quick about it. "Hello?"  
  
"Well good evening to you too, Kat." Billy frowned into the phone, concerned that she was not her usual cheerful self.  
  
"Oh Billy," her voice immediately softened and she smiled as she recognize the very familiar voice. Her night just started to look up again. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you."  
  
Billy smiled, sensing that she was, once again, back to her usual good-natured self. It always bought up his spirits not to mention his heart to hear her voice. "I'm going to have get you a caller id box before I ever call again. What's up? You sound upset with the world here."  
  
"Nothing much." She sat down in the big cushy chair, ready to enjoy a nice conversation with a good, good friend. She missed him terribly. "I was just thinking about things and didn't want to be interrupted by trivial things in life like the encyclopedia salesman or something."  
  
"Hum... I'll have to remember that. Not to sell you anything if I don't want to have my head snapped off with a good twist." Billy sat down on his bed and glanced briefly at his cell phone to make sure there was enough charge on it for a good conversation time. "So now that we've established that we must never try to sell each other any frivolities of life, want to hear the really crazy things that happened today?"  
  
"Sure," she leaned her head back and stared out the window again. It was a beautiful night to be with someone special. "Tell me everything."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"They mean well you know," Rocky said haltingly as he continued to stare at his socked feet. He's been doing that for the past fifteen minutes now, not sure what to do or say that may make this situation better. Aisha hadn't even looked at him in the entire time. Instead, she sat with her back to him studying the fine silver tea set on the ground.  
  
"Don't you realize that I know that already?" Aisha sighed, feeling all her years now on her shoulders. Even knowing that her loved ones were doing this for what they perceived was her own good, it certainly didn't make the situation any better. "I know that they think that we should talk and..."  
  
"Have an out," he smiled. "Yeah, I know."  
  
She glanced briefly at him. "But I really don't see any point in it."  
  
He nodded, somewhat hurt that she didn't believe their friendship at least was worth ten minutes out of her life. "If that's the way you feel about it," and he was beginning to believe that it was, "Then we just won't talk then."  
  
"Fine," she nodded and clinched her teeth against the sudden pain in her heart. She couldn't believe that he won't even... What is it with you, girl? Do you want him to talk about it or not? Don't send the poor guy mix signals, that's the one sure-fire way to drive him further away from you. But do you really want him to be near? Always a constant reminder of what could have been? She rubbed her arms, feeling the goose bumps there. She was sure of anything anymore now. Talk to him, you idiot. You leave in a few more days and this may be your last chance at salvaging your friendship with the boy. "Rocky, I..."  
  
He turned in the dim room and looked at him with those wonderfully intense eyes. "Yes?"  
  
Just like that, she lost her nerve. "Nothing."  
  
He nodded and turned away. He didn't want to sit there the whole night staring at her, imagining what could have been. Don't torture yourself, Rocky. She's made her opinions very clear, just walk away from this... from her. But he knew that that was simply impossible. It would have perhaps been easier for him to simply cut out his own heart. "Say something, Aisha. It's so quiet here."  
  
He could have slapped himself then and there. He wasn't sure what possessed him to say that, but he was sorry that he said them. His voice held so much pain that he winced. He hadn't meant to sound so desperate, so much like a lost little boy, so very... lonely.  
  
Aisha glanced at him. She wasn't sure what he meant, only that the pain in her heart was going worse and she couldn't stand it, it was a like a loud beating drum in her ears. "Rocky, we..." She didn't know what to say, only that what she wanted to say must be kept silent.   
  
"I don't want to lose us." Rocky blurted out, it hurt too much to keep it in.   
  
She sighed and refused to look him in the eyes. She was too afraid that her emotions would show too much if she did. "Me either. I don't think I can stand it if we weren't friends anymore." She could feel tears in her eyes and blinked to keep them back. Oh God Aisha, don't be such a watering pot. You stop that at once!  
  
The way her shoulders were hunched over, the way she twisted her hands, and the way she... He knew that she was in pain. And he was the cause of it. That perhaps hurt worse than his own pains. "Please... Please don't cry."  
  
She shook her head, hiding her face with her hair. "I'm not." But her voice gave her away the same way it would have had she shouted it at him. Stupid, stupid, weak girl!  
  
He reached out to her, touched her shoulder and she jumped as if he had stabbed her with a knife. Her face was still turned down, with all that wonderfully long hair covering it. So, he did the only thing he knew how, he tucked the hair back and tipped her chin up with his hand. He could see the tears now; they were big bullets in his heart. "Aisha, don't cry. Please don't cry." He pulled her gently into his arms as she gave only half-hearted resistance.   
  
"I can't lose you." She murmured against his shirt, her arms tight around his torso, trying to absorb some of the warmth in him as she seemed to have gone cold inside.   
  
He could feel her trembling within his arms. God, don't you realize that the day you lose me is the day that I'm six feet under? "I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what Sha."  
  
She let herself a moment to dream. He was here now, he was there holding her within his arms, she could savor that for now. "We'll be friends no matter what, right?"  
  
Rocky felt like crying himself now. "Yeah, we'll always be friends." I don't want to be your friend, Aisha. I don't want to be just your friend anymore. But he won't every do that to her, he won't ever say those words out loud to hurt them both. For now, he would get to hold her and give a little bit of comfort. I love you, Aisha. I just wish I could say it to you.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Tommy, I can't believe you kicked Trini out of her house!" Kimberly sighed and flopped down on the couch. "That was rather tacky and immature and..."  
  
"It's only cause I love you." Tommy sat down next to her and kissed the top of her head. "Besides, Trini said that she didn't mind. Apparently this case she's working on with Jason is going to get really intense and she wants to move as quickly on it as she can. She was going to ask Jason if she could come over tonight anyways."  
  
"So, this works out well for both of you right?" she asked deceptively mild.  
  
"Yeah," he answered missing the look in her eyes.   
  
"If you fell for that one, I'm surprised you are the same guy that led us to victory against Rita and Zedd." She punched him in the stomach. "She was saying it just to help you out. Everyone knows that a civil case can take up to three years to go court on. She doesn't need to be there tonight at all."  
  
Tommy blinked. "Oh."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."  
  
"No, just in love. Which some philosophers would say is the same thing."   
  
Kimberly laughed and reached around to settle into his strong arms. While she always complains about her demur height, she was happy that she just the right size when it came to Tommy's embrace. "You know, I don't believe that I've been this happy in a long time."  
  
"You mean you weren't this happy when we were in high school?" Tommy asked with a rather devious grin. "I mean aside by the fact that we now have a rather mature and adult side to our relationship."  
  
"By that I assume that you mean the sex part." She looked up at him with great resignation. "You and your one track mind."  
  
"You didn't seem to mind it before." He nibbled on her neck. "If fact, I believe you were rather..."  
  
"You going to talk all night or are you going to make love to me?" Kimberly asked with a glint in her eyes.  
  
"Oh demanding," Tommy pulled his shirt off in one smooth move. "I love woman that can take charge."  
  
Kim grinned and tugged on his belt. "Trust me, Tommy. You haven't seen anything yet."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Okay, I'm going to need a documentation of that and you'll have bring it as an exhibit for the deposition."   
  
Jason sighed and leaned back in his chair, as Trini was busy scribbling on her legal pad. "Are we going to be at this all night?"  
  
"No," she shook her head without looking up. Her mind was immersed in the case already. "I still need a couple of answers then you can take off. I'll draw up a couple of motions and get this case rolling in the Nevada Superior Courts. I've got to call Stephen McClure tomorrow and set up a day for him to fly up here. He's going to be our hands and feet in the West for this one."   
  
He always felt it rather interesting to watch her work. She was so intense when she was in lawyer mode. "Okay, then this is probably going to be a long night. Want coffee?"  
  
"Tea," she made a face and pushed a lock of hair back before turning back to her notes again. "I want to get some sleep tonight. I'm really tired."  
  
Jason frowned and touched her hand. "I thought you said that you were going to go see a doctor about this little problem."  
  
"I am," she tapped the end of her pen against the legal pad as she glanced up at him. "Don't worry so. I've made an appointment to go see Dr. Chabay during my lunch break tomorrow. She's going to check on me, make sure that I'm still healthy and kicking. Then she's going to give me some flu medicine and send me on my merry little way."  
  
"You call me if you need me, okay?" He said with a shake of his head as he headed into the kitchen for some of that tea she wanted.   
  
There was no understanding intelligent woman. He had always accepted the concept that men were from Mars and women were from Venus, they were inherently different on some level or other and will probably never come to a complete understanding. But the illogic of some of Trini's actions simply baffles him. She could cook like a world class chief but eats like a bird, and not a vulture either. She spends her evenings working on cases that has nothing to do with her but can't take more than a hour off to get her health checked for her own sake. It simply defies logical.   
  
"Hey," Zack smiled as Jason came into the kitchen. "Trini's done rearranging all your brain cells yet?"  
  
"No, I'm afraid not." Jason sighed and took out the tea set. "She wants to go over my answers for the deposition first then write up a Notice of Complaint for the courts, whatever that means. And then she wants to schedule a time when I can be sworn in for a real deposition. She's going to drive me crazy before this is over." He shook his head and put the kettle to boil.   
  
Zack chuckled his pity. "Well, at least it's night time. She might fall asleep soon."  
  
"Don't count on it, I've seen her go three days in a roll before." Billy predicted as he came in. "I'd say that she's going to be up all night to perfect things. Better put on the coffee, Jason."  
  
"No, she wants tea. Said that she's got to sleep tonight. Otherwise I don't' doubt that she probably could keep me up all night with questions of structural integrity." Jason took out three big tea bags from cupboard. "Have you guys noticed that she seemed to be real run down lately? I mean, she use to be able to run a marathon and still have enough energy to go three rounds with Tommy and me."   
  
"Who hasn't noticed?" Zack poked through the freezer looking for some ice cream. He needed something sweet. "But I'm thinking that you must have really ran her ragged in Nevada."  
  
"I did not." Jason grinned. "If anything, she was the one that was running me ragged. God that case was just crazy."  
  
"And it looks like it's not going to end for some time," Billy took the kettle from the stove as it shrieked in protest over the hot steam being forced through the whistle. "Mind if I sit in on it for a while. Maybe I can learn a thing or two."  
  
Jason had his doubts on Billy's motives on wanting to sit in but with Trini's mind so full of this case, he doubt that she's even noticed. "Sure, why not. Don't blame me if you end up falling asleep half way through Trini's interrogations. Half the things she says is completely incomprehensible for someone that's not gone to law school before."  
  
"Oh come on, I'm sure it's not that bad." Billy grabbed a box of biscuits for the tea. "I'm going to guess that she's going to be hungry too in a while.   
  
"I'm betting on it." Jason picked up the tray and headed back to the library. "Though I'm hoping that she's be too sleepy to eat. The girl sleeps less than I do and I can get by with five hours a night."  
  
"True, but I think she tries to make up for it on weekends." Zack grinned then stop just inside the door.   
  
Trini, who had been so diligently working on the brief, had fallen asleep over her mountain of notes. Her hair had been pushed back away her face and she had one hand supporting her face from the oak surface and one hand still clutching the pen she had been using. She was so dead to the world that she did not even stir when the three guys came in.  
  
"Sleepy, you think?" Zack asked quite amused with then whole thing.   
  
"How does she do that?" Billy asked quietly as he took the pen gently from her. "I usually toss and turn for about an hour before falling asleep. And here she is completely gone at a drop of a pin."  
  
"She must be real exhausted." Jason shook his head as he picked her up slowly, careful of her fragile arms. "I can't believe she fell asleep in the space of the time that it took me to make tea for her."  
  
"This case is really bothering her isn't it?" Billy asked, as he shut down the computer and neatly stacked her papers, leaving them where they were.  
  
"Yeah, she thinks the other side is pond scum." He grinned over his shoulders at them. "She actually called them the 'Weaseal Brothers.' I think the other side took it as a compliment."  
  
Zack opened the door to Tommy's slightly disheveled room. He had taken the effort to clean some of it up but still left a good pile to finished laundry in the corner of the room. "Looks like some things don't change." Zack picked up the quietly discarded robe on the bed.   
  
"And thank goodness for that." Billy pulled the blanket back as Jason lowered the exhausted woman on the sheets. "I don't think I could stand it if everything changed with time. Where would the continuity of the world be for us if those that we hold dear in our hearts should be shifted with the passage of time and space? Should that we, as human being, then have to turn to some object of..."  
  
"Billy," Zack placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do me a favor, don't think so much."  
  
He laughed softly. "Some times definitely don't change."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Do you really think that they'll keep us up here all night?" Aisha asked as she stared through the little window of the attic.   
  
"I don't know." Rocky watched her from the mattress halfway across the room. "If Adam is in charge of this little scheme, I wouldn't expect to be out until seven o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. Or is it tomorrow already?"  
  
She glanced at her watch. "It's 11:59. Thirty more seconds to go."  
  
He nodded. "We should get some sleep."  
  
"I know." She turned to look at him, her eyes shadowed. Her heart still ached with the little lost of hope she was delivered tonight. But at least she knew that he'd always be there for her, no matter what. As I will always be here for you, Rocky. Always. She could almost feel herself weakening again. "I think I'll sleep by the window tonight. It's a full moon out."  
  
He could see that she wanted to keep their old friendship at the top of her list of things to do. He smiled reassuringly. I can handle just friendship. He almost winced at the knifing pain in his heart just thinking about it. Yeah right. And pigs are going to be walking up to the front door tomorrow with jet packs on their back asking for gas money. Who the hell are you trying to kid here? You can at least be honest with yourself even if you can't be honest with the woman that you're in love with.   
  
Aisha watched him in the darkness, his eyes slightly far away. He was thinking of something that obviously was not giving him pleasure if the slight wrinkling of his usually smooth brows were any indication. "A dime for your thoughts?"  
  
He smiled slightly. "Dime?"  
  
She shrugged. "Inflations and all."  
  
He nodded. "We should really do something about that you know. I mean the Federal Reserve is something that the government should not have any control over. The whole purpose of it was to allow the directors to serve seven-year terms at a time and insulate them from the political views of the world and current administration. But the way that our government is really working..."  
  
"Rocky," she looked at him as if he had gone mad. "You're rambling."  
  
He clamped his mouth shut immediately. Take a few deep breaths he tried again. "Sorry. I guess I'm just..."  
  
"Not comfortable yet." She nodded her head with understanding. Good job, Aisha. You just turned your friend into a stranger. Could you possibility be more stupid?  
  
"No, that's not it." He looked over at her with steady eyes. "I guess I just want us to be...us again." Liar, liar, pants on fire...  
  
"Me too." Liar, liar....  
  
He nodded, trying to put that thought solidly in his mind. "We should get some sleep. Want to share the mattress? That floor looks rather uncomfortable." The minute he said it, he regretted it. YOU IDIOT! What are you doing?  
  
Aisha felt her heart jumped several beats as her breath caught in her throat. Take it easy, it's just for comfort purposes, very practical of him. Don't make something out of completely nothing. Let's just make it through the night and.... Damn it, Aisha. You're rambling in your own freaking head! "I don't need...."  
  
"Don't be silly," he shook his head, wondering why he would be torturing himself with her closeness like this. Probably because it's the only chance you're ever going to get of being this close to her again and you're heart is jumping at the chance. If I didn't know better, I'd say that I am one sick puppy. "If we don't share the bed, one of us is going to be too sore tomorrow to stand much less work."  
  
"Who says it's got to be you on the floor?" She wished to hell she had phrased that question better. But it was out of her mouth and out of her control.  
  
Calm those hormones down, boy. She didn't mean it the way it sounded. "Being the gentleman that I am, I can hardly ask a lady to do the honors here." He glanced at the two sleeping bags in the corner along with a big bottle of water, and wine provided probably by Tommy, two glasses and some yummy cookies of Trini's making. Someone really thought this through. "Now unless we're stupid and decided that the only thing that is fair is to have both of us on the hard and uncomfortable wooden floor, I suggest that we get in the sleeping bags and get on the mattress." He winced again at how that might have sounded.  
  
Deep breath girl, just breathe! "Okay."  
  
Rocky picked up the blue one and unrolled it with cautious moves. Okay, it's just one night. You can do this. He then glanced at the pretty young woman that he's been in love with more than half his life, and decided that it was going to be the longest night of his life. God help me.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"You know, I can get use to this." Tommy stared at the fish tank and tightened his embrace on the woman that he's waited all his life for. What do know, looks like Jason is right for once in his life!   
  
"What are you talking about?" Kimberly asked as she snuggled closer. The couch may be good for resting on, but it was definitely too small to fit too comfortably.   
  
"I like this. Being you after making incredible love until my bones ache. It kinds of gives me this warm and fuzzy feeling." He smiled and noticed that there were six fishes in the tank. He seem to recall Kim saying something about the number being of some significance but he couldn't quite remember what it was. He'll have to remember to ask again later.  
  
"Hum..." She leaned her head back and looked at him with slightly glazed eyes. Passion had filled them only half an hour before, but even now she looked beautiful with her face all a glow from the aftermath of their loving. "I like this too."  
  
He tilted his head and leaned back a little more so she was laying more comfortably on him. "Do you ever wish that we can have this all the time?"  
  
"I'd get kind of sore, don't you think?" She teased, her full lips curled slightly into a smile.   
  
"I mean at nights." He patted her arm lightly. "And you know very well that I'm not talking about the sex part of all this." His arms squeezed her gently. "I like reaching out a night and holding you. I like that the last thing I see as I fall asleep is you and the first thing I see as I wake up is you. I like that I get to sing in your shower and watch you dry your hair. I like driving you to work and making you coffee in the morning. I like..."  
  
She put two fingers on his lips. "I get the point." Her lips replaced her fingers gently. "I like all that and the bag of chips you put into my briefcase." Her arms wrapped itself around his bare torso and absorbed his warmth with a sigh. "I like it very much."  
  
"So why don't we..."  
  
Kimberly's hand came over his mouth. "Whatever you are going to say can wait until tomorrow." She blinked at him. "I'm sleeping and can barely keep my eyes open much less concentrate. Can we talk tomorrow?"  
  
Tommy's eyes searched hers, trying to decide if she was serious or if he dug himself into a hole here. "We'll talk tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah, I want to hear what you have to say about us but I'm so tired right now." She kissed his lips again. "I want to be awake, alert and concentrating on what comes out of your mouth. Besides which, it's your fault that I'm so tired. You wore me out." She pouted prettily at him.  
  
He shook his head then picked up her easily. "Okay then, I guess we head to bed now."  
  
"Sleep?" she asked questioningly.  
  
Tommy laughed. "Yeah, sleep this time." But tomorrow, we talk serious. Cause believe it or not, my love, we're about to make a new start.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Question?" Billy asked as he and Jason settled down in the living room with cups of tea after Zack had gone up to the third floor to join Adam and Tanya in dreamland.   
  
"Shoot," Jason leaned back into the chair gratefully.   
  
"Tommy's theory, is it correct?"   
  
He eyed him with caution. "What theory would that be?"   
  
Billy smiled; no one ever called Jason a dummy. "That you're in love."  
  
He nodded his head. "Not theory; fact." He had feeling that Billy was getting close. Time for a little diversion. "Question?"  
  
Only seemed fair. "Go right ahead."  
  
He arched one brow. "Kat?"  
  
Billy could feel a smile tugging at his lips. Yep, definitely not a dummy. "Yeah."  
  
"You going to do something about it?" Jason sipped the warm tea and his mind drifted slightly to the woman sleeping one room down from his own. Funny how life seem to work out in strange and mysterious ways.  
  
"I don't know." Billy shook his head tiredly. "I just don't know."  
  
Jason watched Billy closely noting all the signs. Hell, the man is half way there already. "Want to hear some advise given freely and with the knowledge that I don't understand women half the time?"  
  
"Well that's whole better than not understanding them all the time."   
  
He smiled. "Tell her. Take a chance, you'd be surprised."  
  
"Surprise is something that is not always good when it comes to relationship." Billy pointed out with much consideration to the problem. "Case in point, my ex in space."  
  
"You know what you're problem is?"   
  
"I have a feeling that you're going to tell me."  
  
"You think too much." Jason grinned. "Don't think, just act."  
  
"And if the result turn out not to be favorable to me?"  
  
Jason nodded his head. "Then accept and move on." He looked at the small glass window and the moon that was full and bright outside. It was a beautiful night to be in love and know that the person you loved returned the feeling. "Until you've settle this, you're not going to have any kind of meaningful relationship with anyone. And there will always be that regret in your heart that you never spoke of it."  
  
Billy eyed his friend with the same amount of respect that he's always had for the man and added a dash of amusement. "Is this from experience, Jase?"  
  
He smiled. "What are you asking?"  
  
The two long time friends eyed each other with a great deal of fondness. Billy shook his head in enjoyment over this conversation. "Honest answer?"  
  
"Don't I always?" Jason asked.  
  
"Not when you are trying to avoid giving one. Then you can talk circles around a man better than ten lawyers in Congress."   
  
He honestly had to laugh at that. "I'll try to give you one."  
  
"Your mystery woman? I know her well, don't I?"  
  
Jason smiled rather mildly. "I'll answer it if you answer me something first."  
  
Billy had a pretty good idea what was going to be asked. "Go ahead."  
  
"Are you going to go see her?"  
  
There was silence. Billy's brilliant mind has always solved his problems for him in the past. But when it came to his heart's dilemmas, his brain simply doesn't have answers. "You took a chance?"  
  
He nodded his head remembering that first night and the kiss that started it all. "A monster size one."  
  
Billy accepted it. It had to have been a huge chance; a good friendship had been on the line. He sighed knowing that Jason had known the answer to the question before he did. "Then yes, I'm going to go see her soon."  
  
Jason nodded his head with understanding.   
  
"Now answer mine."  
  
Watching the smile creep slowly onto Jason's face was something akin to watching the sunrise in the east. There was so much joy in his eyes that Billy wondered how the others hadn't guessed already. "Yes."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser Line from the next Chapter: "Did I say something funny?"  
  
For those of you that thought that something was going to happen between Aisha and Rocky, don't hurt me. I have other plans for these two. Be on the look out for Chapter 37 for the big payoff. Right now, I'm working a little plot setup.   



	36. Mothers and Doctors

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Hanspam, you poor thing. I hope you are feeling better and here's a little something to help you pass the time.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Six  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason awoke to the sensation of warm lips pressed softly against his own. "Hum... Now this is the way to wake up."  
  
"Like it?" Trini asked as she smiled gently at him as she leaned over the side of the bed lazily looked into his misty eyes.   
  
"Oh, you better believe it." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into the bed with him. She was a warm bundle in the morning. "When did you wake up?"  
  
"About half an hour before? I thought I would make something for everyone this morning." Her fingers ran themselves through the thick disheveled hair. "When did I fall asleep last night? Last thing I remember was that you were going to make tea for me."  
  
"That's pretty much it." He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and tucked the strand behind her ear. "I went into the kitchen to make tea and talk to Billy and Zack. I came back; you had your head on top of your notes, a pen still in hand, and sleeping sound as a baby. You didn't even stir when I picked you up." He frowned with concern. "Definitely time for you to see that doctor of yours."  
  
She nodded her head. "I guess so. My energy level seems to be dropping. But if it's any consolation, I had a really good night's sleep even if it was without you next to me."  
  
He smiled. "I missed you too."  
  
Trini stared into his eyes. It was strange how quickly she became use to having his warm body next to her at nights. He was a quiet sleeper, he didn't particularly move much except to cuddle her. She enjoyed being able to fall asleep to the sound of his heartbeat and waking up with him smiling at her in his usual quiet manner. "Are you always this cheerful in the morning?"  
  
The grin was accompanied by a nod of the head. "Especially when I have you to wake up to."  
  
"Hey, I have a question for you."  
  
"Why didn't I sneak into your room last night?"  
  
She chuckled. "No, you silly though that was a question that was in my mind this morning when I find myself not thirty feet from your bedroom and no lover in sight."  
  
"Okay, if that's not yet, what did you want to know?"  
  
"What was all that about conspiracy last night?"  
  
Jason blinked at her startled then his eyes twinkled and an explosion of laughter came from his lips.   
  
"Did I say something funny?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Hi, Southwestern Airline? I'm sorry that I'm calling so early but I would like to book a seat for Flight 32 next Friday the 7th."  
  
"To Australia, sir?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Will that be round trip or one-way?"  
  
There was a pause. "One-way."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Rocky woke up with the sensation of a warm body cuddled next to him, a small delicate hand callused from many hours of good willed work curled into a fist on his chest. I'm either in heaven or in hell. Either way he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. The hours spent staring at Aisha's sleeping form had been wonderfully blissful but also reminded him that he couldn't never have what his heart desperately wanted.   
  
Aisha knew the minute he was awake. She could feel his warm breath on her hand and knew that she should probably move. But god, it felt so good to lie next to him like this again. Her heart ached with knowing that she could be this close but be so far away. Life sucks like hell.  
  
Rocky wondered for a moment what Aisha was thinking. He could sense that she was awake but was making no move to break away from him. Considering he is the one on the bottom right now, he really didn't have much of a choice but lay there and wait for her next move.   
  
She realized that with all the years Rocky spent studying martial arts, he probably was very good at sensing subtle movements, like her coming awake. She lifted her head and looked into big wide-open eyes. "Hi." Lame beyond belief.  
  
He smiled almost glad that she hadn't moved from him yet. "Good morning."  
  
"What time is it?" Waiting for him to tell her to move.  
  
"I think it's just after dawn so it should be almost seven o'clock."   
  
She nodded her head. "Guess that our imprisonment is about to end." Am I glad or sadden that I'm losing this time of being alone with him?  
  
"I guess," he wanted to say something but was too afraid that she would pull back from him. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," she sighed and got up slowly, already missing the warmth of his body. "You?"  
  
"Yeah," he sat up and frowned at the window though not seeing it at all. He had thought that he could keep it inside, but sitting here with her, still smell her scent on his hand, he knew that it was going to be hard. Perhaps once she goes back to work and I'm away from her again, I'll forget and be... Who the hell am I kidding?  
  
"We should get ready to go then," Aisha wanted to weep. She wanted to say something, anything to make him stay with her. To make him accept her and want to be with her, to love her forever the way she loved him. "The others will probably want to know what we talked about."  
  
He gave a weak laugh. "How much you want to bet that Adam and Tanya spent all night trying to second guess what was actually being said in here?"  
  
"Do I look stupid enough to do that?" Aisha gave him a smile that spent his heart soaring.   
  
He knew that if could have her with him, then he would at least have her happy. If even I am not. "So, we tell them that we talked and that our friendship is back on track, right?"  
  
She forced her face to remain in a smile and pray that she can gag Tanya. "Yeah, that's right."  
  
He nodded his head, wondering how he was going to keep Adam from spilling his guts out.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"You know," Tommy commented as he stepped out of the shower with nothing but a white towel around his hips. "Since we're up so early, we can go over to Jason's and get some breakfast."  
  
"Why can't we have breakfast here?" Kim asked as she searched through her messy closet. "Have you seen my pink blouse?"  
  
"The one with the pearl buttons?"  
  
"Yeah."   
  
"You're stepping on it."  
  
"Oh," she picked up her foot and shook out the blouse. "Thanks."  
  
"Cause Trini is probably cooking it."  
  
"Cooking what?"  
  
"Breakfast." He grinned as he pulled on clothes. "We were talking about breakfast."  
  
"Yeah, I know." She answered distractedly. "White suit or blue?"  
  
"I like the red one." He pointed to the only other suit still on a hanger in the closet.   
  
"I can't wear pink with the red suit. They clash." She impatiently pushed a lock of hair back. "And I think we need to be... oh, here's the gray suit."  
  
"Wear that," he buttoned his shirt and tucked it neatly into his pants before belting it. Unlike Kimberly, he may be a messy person but he kept his eyes on his clothes. "The soft pink would be a nice feminine touch to the mannish gray suit.   
  
She snorted. "You won't think it's mannish if you see how short that skirt is."  
  
"How short?" he asked wiggling his brows wolfishly.   
  
"Ally McBeal short." She grinned.  
  
"Oh, now that I've got to see."  
  
Kimberly shook her head in exasperation. Men always seem to find her choice in wardrobe interesting. "Honey, you were saying something last night that I couldn't concentrate on. What was it?" She glanced over her shoulders at him.  
  
He was a little too busy watching her dress to pay any attention to what was being said.  
  
"Tommy?"  
  
He blinked, trying to get the image of her in nothing but lace out of his head. "What did you say, beautiful?"  
  
With a shake of her head, she dressed quickly. "I asked what it was that you wanted to talk to me about last night."  
  
"Oh that," he smiled. "I want to tell you later. Somewhere where the setting is a little more appropriate."  
  
"Appropriate setting?" She eyed him with curiosity. "What are you up to Thomas Edward Oliver?"  
  
He winced. "You sound exactly like my mother when you do that."  
  
"Wise woman." She said sagely.   
  
"She loved you." He watched her stand in front of the mirror and chose jewelry. "Do you always dress up so much to work?"  
  
"Do you always wear a suit?" she replied then turned as she inserted her earrings. "And what do you mean she loved me?"  
  
"I mean she really loved you. Thought you were good for me," he grinned as he tied his tie on. "And yes, I have to wear a suit to work everyday. It is for the professional look that they want for the company."  
  
"I work at a company that deals with movie stars, models and fashion. You don't think that I have a image that must be promoted?" She chose simply gold chains for her throat and wrist along with a clever lady bug watch on a chain around her neck. "Your mother thought that I was good for you? Even after that whole letter incident?"  
  
"Believe it for not, yes." He grinned and hugged her from behind, watching them together in the full-length mirror that threw back their reflections. He thought they looked perfect together. "She even offered to pay airfare for me to go see you in Florida and win you back."   
  
"No way," her eyes were wide in the mirror.  
  
"Yeah, boy would she have had egg on her face if she knew that I could have teleported there in an instant."   
  
"Tommy," she turned and looked at him seriously. "You serious?"  
  
"About?"  
  
"Your mother."  
  
"Yes," he grinned at her. "She loved you. Really loved you. She was really upset when I got together with..." He clamped his mouth shut.  
  
Kimberly touched his face. "It doesn't bother me to hear you say her name. You've shared a past together, I don't want you to feel like you have to hide that from me."  
  
He nodded, thankful of her understanding. "I love you. My mother loves you. My dad thinks you're great. My aunt Helen thinks you're too skinny. Ouch." He rubbed his stomach where Kimberly's fist had driven itself into. "I still love you though."  
  
She rolled her eyes then kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Let's go see if Trini will feed us."  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"You're kidding?" Trini's mouth was hanging open in a rather unbecoming expression.  
  
"Nope," Jason shook his head and whipped the eggs up for her.   
  
"Kat?" She grinned, more amusement than shocked. Her hand paused over the skillet where French toast was turning golden brown. "He told you that?"   
  
"Yup!"  
  
"And he's going to go see her, right?"   
  
"Yeah, that's what he said." he nodded his head and pointed to the pan on the stove. "You still want to make the waffles?"  
  
"No," she shook her head. "I think French toast and light scramble eggs should be enough. Anyone that doesn't like it can have cereal. So Billy is going to take the plunge, huh?"  
  
"Okay, not waffles." He reached into the frig and pulled out the orange juice. "Yeah, I think we inspired him a little."  
  
She rolled her eyes at him.   
  
"So, you think Billy is going to spill his guts to the others now?"  
  
"Billy?" she shook her head. "Nay. He can keep a secret. Probably enjoys it more than we do since he's in on it."  
  
"Thank goodness someone knows me well," Billy grinned from the doorway at the little scene between the two. "Trini, I always knew you were a woman of extraordinary intelligence."  
  
Trini leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before offering some coffee. "So?"  
  
"So what?" Billy answered and sighed with delight. "God, what is this coffee? I have got to get me some of this stuff."  
  
"Vanilla bean." She answered and flipped the toasts. "And the question is what are you going to do with the information currently at your disposal?"  
  
He smiled rather deviously until Trini brought her spatula up threateningly. He backed up quickly. "Okay, I guess I won't be saying anything unless I want my life to end in a rather nasty way."  
  
"You better believe it." Trini said as Jason laughed. "So?"  
  
"So what?"  
  
"Kat?"  
  
He sighed. Jason grinned at him and sat down a plate of French toast in front of him along with a bottle of maple syrup and powder sugar. "I booked a seat to Australia for next Friday."  
  
Trini bit her lips to keep from squealing with delight. "Impulsive. Have some more coffee."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Jason grinned at Trini who returned with twinkling eyes. "Hey, Billy. I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Go ahead."   
  
He glanced at the door and paused to see if he could hear food steps. "Okay. What gave us away?"  
  
Trini turned to watch Billy as well, curious beyond belief.  
  
Billy grinned then twirled a finger encompassing him, her and the kitchen. "This."  
  
"This?"  
  
"Yeah," Billy dug into the wonderful breakfast. I can definitely get use to Trini's cooking. "You and Trini cooking, talking, laughing around the kitchen. All that lack was you to turning to one another and kissing every once in a while. It was all just way too..."  
  
"Too what?" Trini asked, her brows coming into a frown.   
  
"Too domestic."   
  
Jason blinked. He never really thought of it. Everything he did with Trini has always been natural but he never really thought about it as being domestic. Of course, everything with Trini was so comfortable and easy that he never really thought about it much at all.   
  
"Well, that's something we're going to have to watch out for then." Trini shook her head and dropped nothing dripping toast into the frying pan. "Thanks for the observation, Billy."  
  
"Anytime," he grinned as Jason sat down across from him. Leaning forward and keeping a keen eye on Trini, he whispered, "You pop the question yet?"  
  
Jason shook his head then pointed his fork at him for good measure. "Do not even think about it cause I can still kick your ass into October if I have to, Billy."  
  
"What are you two whispering about?" Adam asked as he yawned and dropped himself into a chair. "Trini! You're a goddess. Can I have some too?"  
  
Trini smiled and nodded her head. "But only if you've unlocked the attic door for Rocky and Aisha cause you know he's got to..."  
  
"He has and we're out." Rocky said rather disgruntled. "And you and I, my friend, are going to have to have a long talk."  
  
Adam merely smiled and dug into his hearty breakfast.   
  
Tanya came in just as Trini sat more plates out for Aisha and Rocky. "I smell coffee."  
  
"Hey," Zack pushed the door open and watched in still wearing a nice pair of black silk pajamas. "Hey, that was my line."  
  
Trini laughed and pointed to Jason. "Since you and Billy are done, why don't you come over and take over this thing while I grab some eggs before we're late for work." She could feel her stomach turn just at the thought of food but she needed to eat something. Her appetite has been less than wonderful as of late.  
  
"I'll get it while Jason gets changed for work unless they decided to really let down the dress code at his company." Adam offered as he shoved the last of his French toast into his mouth. "Someone load up the dishwasher."  
  
"Not until we get breakfast," Kimberly called out as she and Tommy came through the back door. "I smell something wonderful."  
  
"Eggs or French Toast guys." Adam asked as he took the spatula from Trini and Billy grabbed more cups from the cupboard for juice.   
  
Trini grimaced as she shoved some light eggs into her mouth and chewed gingerly. She hated the taste of it so decided against any more. Gulping down a cup of orange juice, she headed upstairs for change.  
  
Adam watched Trini for a moment then turned quietly to Billy. "Hey, what's up with Trini?"  
  
Billy kept his expression neutral. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"She had one bite of egg and some juice then left. She seeing that doctor yet?"  
  
"Today, I believe Jason mentioned."   
  
"Oh, okay." Adam glanced over at the door again. "I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Jason and Trini, is it true about them keeping each other's secrets? Cause that's what Tommy said according to Rocky the other night." He tilted his head and scooped up the French toast before it could burn.  
  
Billy bit the inside of his cheek to keep the grin from his face. "You can say that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004  
Dr. Nancy Chabay's Office  
8934 Cadillac Avenue  
New York City, New York  
  
"Okay, that's pretty much it." Dr. Chabay was a pretty woman in her early fifties with a smile that immediately put her patient's at ease. "You look to be in perfect health, once again Trini."  
  
"Thanks, Doctor Chabay." Trini buttoned her shirt. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."  
  
"Go ahead." She was scribbling indecipherable notes on Trini's charts.   
  
"I've been feeling really tired lately. No lack of sleep or any real significant change in weight. I've lost some appetite but nothing major there either. I thought it might be the summer flu."  
  
"Hum..." She frowned and tapped the pen against her lower lip. "Have you had any other symptoms other than being run down?"  
  
"Nothing." She shook her head. "I thought it could be stress cause I recently switch jobs but the work loads has actually be lighter since coming to the new firm yet I'm more tired that when I was handling three or four cases at once."  
  
The good doctor nodded her head. "Why don't we do some blood works first then? We'll see what we can find out through that first then work on other options. I don't want to prescribe anything to you cause flu medicines tends to be pretty strong and rather harsh on your system."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Okay then. Drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. We'll draw blood today and I'll put a rush on it."   
  
"Thanks, Doc."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 29, 2004  
Katherine Hallard's Residence  
58 Pondarosa Road  
Sydney, Australia  
  
Kat rushed through the door to pick up the phone before her damn answering machine could get it. "Hello?"  
  
"You sound out of breath, did I interrupt something?" Billy asked with a grin of amusement as Katherine laughed.   
  
"Sorry, I just walked through the door when then phone rang. My arms were full of grocery and I didn't want who ever it was to hung up the phone or leave an annoying message on my machine. Or worse yet, wait until you've head the entire message on the machine then hung up the phone."  
  
Billy could easily imagine her slightly disheveled and breathless from her rush to the phone. She was probably just sitting down with her jacket still on and her purse hanging off her shoulders. "I'll have to remember not to do that then."   
  
"What's up? Did you let Rocky and Aisha out yet?"  
  
"Yeah but I can tell by the way they were both avoiding each other's eyes this morning that things aren't resolved yet."  
  
"Oh, those two really are idiots." She shook her head more at herself then her too shy friends. You are one to talk. You haven't had a decent relationship in what feels like a lifetime now.   
  
"And don't we all know it. Actually, that's not what I called you for." Billy took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He had worked out the entire conversation in his mind a hundred time last night and this morning until he couldn't stand it anymore.   
  
"Oh, what's up then?"  
  
"How would you feel about having a visitor for a while?" He asked as causally as he could while holding his breath for the answer. I'll simply die if she says no.  
  
"Visitor?" She prayed to god that she didn't sound as desperate as she felt. "Are you coming to see me, Billy?" Oh please, please, please....  
  
"If you've got room on your couch for me." The day suddenly became blindingly beautiful.  
  
"My couch! Heck you can have my bed." She winced and bit down hard on her lip. "I didn't mean for that to sound the way it did."  
  
Billy laughed lightly but blushed a deeply for his mind had wondered to places that it shouldn't yet. "I'm not Rocky, Kat. I know what you meant by that." As much as I hope that you had meant the other.   
  
She laughed, glad that she hadn't scared the poor fellow away. "When?"  
  
"Next Friday?"  
  
"Sounds great. I'll show you the beauty of down under."   
  
You already have, Kat. You already have.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"You know, that was just a little too good for me." Tanya sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Trini, I'm going to get fat if you keep this up."  
  
"Yeah right," Aisha tossed her napkin at her friend. "You couldn't gain weight if you decided to eat a whole bakery yourself."   
  
"What is it with former Power Ranger women that keeps them from putting a decent amount of weight on their bodies?" Zack asked with a laugh. "I mean, look at the four of you. You guys don't weigh enough together to tip the scale on a desk set."  
  
"Must be the fast metabolism that the morphing grid used to keep our..." Billy started before everyone pelted him with napkins. "Or maybe it's just because they keep themselves in great shape."  
  
Kimberly laughed and bussed his cheek. "I knew you could redeem yourself there."   
  
"Okay," Trini got up and started to clear the plates. "I propose that we..."  
  
"Hey," Adam grabbed the plates from her. "You cooked, we wash."  
  
"Yeah, house rules here." Rocky nodded and helped to clean the table. "You were saying?"  
  
She threw up her hands in defeat. "I was going to suggest that we break up the is group for a little talk. Ladies to my place and gentlemen here?"  
  
"Wait, didn't we do that same sex thing just the other day?" Zack asked with laugh. "And let's not forget that they say that women keep men civil."  
  
"Oh we don't mind if you guys try to beat each other in." Kimberly said grabbing her purse. "And I agree with Trini. We ladies need to get some good girl talk in tonight. We'll have tomorrow and all weekend to play around."  
  
"Sounds like fine idea to me." Billy agreed with a significant look at Rocky's back, signaling the others. "We should have a nice evening with just guys to brag and belch."  
  
Jason nodded but kept his laughter to himself. "Okay. Agreed then. See you ladies later."  
  
"Hey, Tommy. You going to come see Kim later?" Tanya asked with a sly look in her eyes. "Cause you know..."  
  
"He won't be coming." Kimberly answered with a kiss for her man. "You behave and I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
He hugged her for a moment and pouted. "Are you sure that I can't..."  
  
"No," she smiled and kissed him again. "Bye."  
  
Tommy sighed. "Bye."  
  
"See you guys." Trini waved her hand and glanced quickly at Jason. "Oh, I left the contract file in your library. Could you take it to the partners tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah." Jason wanted to kiss her goodbye as Tommy had gotten to do but knew it would be wiser to not. After all, he wasn't sure if he could stop at just one kiss. "See you tomorrow."  
  
"Bye guys."   
  
"Hey Trini?" Adam suddenly turned. "How was the doctor's appointment?"  
  
Trini shrugged. "I'm apparently in perfect health but they're going to run a blood test to be sure. I should have the results in a few days."  
  
"Don't forget to get a copy for your own records."  
  
"Yes doctor." She smiled. "Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Are we talking about the big M here?"  



	37. Determination

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Love life and liberty, is the only way to go. Faith, hang in there darling. Oh and I have chocolate you can come get any time you want.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Seven   
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay spill your guts buddy cause you are likely to suffer indigestion if you don't." Adam said as he poured out wine for everyone.  
  
"I have no idea what you're..."   
  
"Oh god, not another one." Jason groaned and leaned his head back. "Rocky, you know that we care and you know that we are a family, why the hell else would we have gone through all that trouble of locking you guys up last night. And most importantly, you know that you're a terrible liar. So just talk and get it off your chest so we can help."  
  
Rocky gave him a look that said that he was not going to be thankful for that little friendly intrusion into his private life.   
  
Zack smiled encouragingly. "He's right, especially about the bad liar part."  
  
"I don't know how we all managed to keep our identities a secret while we were Power Rangers. None of us can tell a straight lie without turning the color of a tomato." Tommy commented as he savior the fine wine. "By the way Jase, I put a couple of bottles in your stock."  
  
He shrugged. "We weren't actually lying then you know."  
  
Billy nodded his agreement. "Yeah, we were merely not telling the whole story."  
  
"See," Zack grinned. "We were merely withholding a few facts. No one actually asked us out right if we were Rangers."  
  
They shared a good laugh in remembrance of all the time people were in search of the identity of the Power Rangers. Those were the days when they're lives seem to trivial compared to the greater scheme of things. But they've done their duties to the world and this was their reward, a normal life. Well, as normal as it can get anyways.  
  
"So, Rocky." Adam grinned. "Don't think you're getting off that easily."  
  
He shook his head and answered woodenly. "She wants to be friends."  
  
The others winced in pain, the worse possible brush off was the "Let's just be friends" line.   
  
Adam snorted in disbelief. "If she just wants to be friends with you, I'll eat my medical bag."  
  
"Adam, I know that you want to believe that she and I may have something but..."  
  
"I don't believe, I know." Adam's eyes suddenly came together in determination. "Rocky, we've been friends for longer than I care to remember. I have always been straight with you. You know me better than anyone else in this world and I know you. And I also know Aisha. You two need to talk, really talk."  
  
Billy nodded his head. "I have a question to put to you, Rocky."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
He sighed. "I can't remember a time when I didn't."  
  
Billy grinned suddenly and exchanged looks with Jason and Tommy. "Tell her."  
  
Rocky looked at his friends and their nodding heads. "How?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"I feel like I've been crying more on this trip than I have my entire life." Aisha sniff pathetically into a tissue. "God, why can't I just accept it and move the hell on with my life?!?"  
  
"Cause you're in love," Kimberly patted her sympathetically in the back. "Must have cried for three months after I mailed off that letter to Tommy. I thought I would die of a broken heart."  
  
"What did you do?" Aisha asked desperately.  
  
"I threw myself into my practices and won a medal for the Pan Global Championships." She shrugged. "But that didn't do any good. I was still hurting very badly inside."  
  
"Me?" Trini set down a plate of cookies and enough ice cream to feed an army but just enough for a broken hearted young woman before sitting down on the coach. She winkled her nose for a moment and made a face, then got up again to move to the loveseat. "I dated all the wrong guys and ended up with a lot of emotional scars."  
  
"How is that going by the way?" Aisha asked needing to think of something else other than Rocky Descantos. "And do we get to meet Mr. Mysterious before we leave?"  
  
"Yeah!" Tanya sat up and crossed her arms. "I can't believe you shared with Jason before you shared with your girls!"  
  
Trini wanted to laugh. "I'm almost ready."  
  
"Ready for what?" Kimberly asked, her eyes all a glow.   
  
She bit her lip. "I really love him. And I mean really, really, really love him."  
  
"Thinking about moving in with him?" Tanya asked with one brow raised.   
  
"No," she smiled dreamily. "I thinking of something a little more permanent."  
  
They stared at her stunned. "Are we talking about the big M here?"  
  
She nodded her head enthusiastically.   
  
"ARE YOU NUTS?!?"  
  
"What?" her eyes wide with confusion.  
  
"Trini, you haven't even introduce this guy to us yet and you're thinking of popping the question to him?" Kimberly couldn't quite wrap her brain around that particular fact. "Please, please, don't rush into anything that you may regret at..."  
  
"I'm not going to regret this, Kim." She sighed and sat back, swinging her legs over the side. "You ever get that feeling that everything in your life is perfect but it was missing something. Like there was a small speck of darkness in a completely rosy picture?"  
  
Kimberly wanted to say something, anything that isn't want Trini wanted to hear. Aisha and Tanya looked torn. Trini's obvious happiness was impossible for them to quench and none of them really wanted to. The girl was practically glowing.  
  
"Is he good to you?" Tanya asked, worriedly.  
  
"He loves me so yes it's very good to me. He worries about me, he cuddles me, and he feeds me." She smiled, still amused that he did. "I know it in my heart and soul that he loves me."  
  
Kimberly felt like crying. She was afraid for her friend. But she would never try to come between Trini and someone that could make her so unbelievably joyous. "Trini, if you're sure..."  
  
"I'm sure." Her eyes held the love there. "He's the missing element and I'm not going to let him go. I love him."  
  
Aisha smiled and hugged the happy woman. "Then I'm happy for you and may your love see you through anything and everything in life."  
  
"Thank you," she touched Aisha's arm. "And may you find peace and love in the man that you love."  
  
She shook her head. "I don't think that's going to be possible."  
  
"Nothing is impossible, my friend." She smiled. "And I know it from experience."  
  
"I'm not you."  
  
"No, you're not but you're strong like me. And you are always a yellow ranger. I think your future has a rosy forecast."   
  
"Trini, I'm at a point where if he so much as look at me with any hint of anything I would get on my knees and beg." She felt the hot tears come again. "I love him. I know in my soul."  
  
Kimberly and Tanya traded looks. "Then tell him that point blank."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You have to," Trini agreed with a nod. "You need to."  
  
Aisha studied each of their faces. They were perfectly serious and knew what they were talking about. "Then I need a favor."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason got up as the phone rang. "Keep talking guys, I'll get it." He shook his head as Zack suggested Rocky declared his love by having it sky written. "Hello?"  
  
"Jase," Kimberly's voice came through loud and clear. "Need help."  
  
"What's up?" He glanced over at Tommy and motioned the man over.   
  
"We want to do something about Aisha and Rocky, of course."   
  
"Of course," he grinned at Tommy as he stood by him. "Your girlfriend wants to do something about the two idiots."   
  
Tommy grinned. "Tell her to go for it."  
  
"What do you need?"  
  
"We need the use of your house for the night. But not for those two as we did yesterday." She glanced over at the packing Tanya and Trini, who were both trying to keep Aisha from talking herself out of her little scheme while giving her little suggestions on her course of action tonight. Tanya offered jumping in feet first approach while Trini offered seduction advises. "Tanya, Trini and I are coming over for the evening, leaving the house empty for Aisha to be with Rocky. I think she's going to have that out that we've all wanted them to have."  
  
"Really?" Jason frowned. "Are you sure it's wise to leave them alone in a house that neither of them have any hold on. I mean, they could bolt at any moment."  
  
"No, I don't think so." Kimberly shook her head as Trini physically sat Aisha down and wiggled her finger at her. "I think that Aisha is going to do it. Either that or she's going to face the combined wrath of Trini and Tanya."  
  
"Something I highly doubt she's too thrilled about." Jason nodded his head. "Okay, you need beds, we've got them here. What would you like us to do?"  
  
"Get Rocky boy here."   
  
Jason frowned. "That may be a tough one. Let me work on it. When do you guys arrive?"  
  
"Whenever you give the word."  
  
"Keep your cell phone handy then. I'll give you the signal."  
  
"Right."   
  
Jason hung up the phone and glanced over at Rocky. Tommy stood there quietly, having heard most of the conversation. "So, do we go for the subtle and trick the boy approach into going or do we go ahead and tell him that this could be it, the final stretch of the inning?"  
  
"I don't think he'll forgive us if we try that trick thing again."  
  
"True." Tommy sighed. "So we tell him that the ladies would like him to come over for something."  
  
Jason nodded. "And fail to mention that that the girls are clearing out of there to give him and Aisha room."  
  
Tommy nodded wisely. "Right."  
  
"Right."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 30, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Rocky rubbed his palm against his pant legs feeling his heart racing at an unnatural speed that was destined to give him a heart attack. He wasn't sure why the girls wanted to see him but after some urging from the guys, here he was standing at their door.  
  
Tanya stood on the other side eyeing him through the peephole. Why is he just standing there? She wasn't sure how she was going to get herself through this but she promised the others that she would. you can do this. You can be the seductress that Trini and Tanya coached you to be. Besides which, she rather not die in her sleep if she were to chicken out now and have Tanya and Trini find out about it. Come on girl, you've never walked away from a fight before. Now is not the time to turn yellow.... Oh for the love of...  
  
The doorbell jarred Aisha out of her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she pulled open the door a little too fast and hit herself with it.   
  
Rocky felt as if someone smashed a fist into his stomach. In all the nightmarish scenarios he had imagined while walking over, he hadn't actually expected her to open the door, and in that manner either.   
  
She could almost feel her face go up in flames. Real smooth there, Aisha. Why don't you just paint a sign on your forehead saying that you're about to jump out of your skin at any little provocation? "Hi." Oh yeah, real smooth.  
  
"Hi," he tried to smile but knew that he came out all wrong. He probably looked like he was grimacing.   
  
She thought he looked adorable, which his smile all crooked and unsure. For some strange reason, his discomfort seems to relax her. At least I'm not the only one nervous. "Come on in. Trini backed a pie to relax. Want some? It's apple, your favorite."  
  
He sighed, glad for her lighthearted manners. "Sure, some apple pie would be..." He looked around the room. "Huh... Where are the others?"  
  
She paused with her hand holding the knife steadily over the pie. "Gone."  
  
"Gone?" He's mind was wrapping itself around the idea. "What do you mean gone? Are you saying that we're here all..."  
  
"Alone." She finished for him as she neatly placed a piece of pie topped generously with whipped cream into his hand. "I'll get you fork."  
  
He stared dumbly at the pie in his hand. They were here alone, by them selves, with no one around to.... To what, Rocky? Interfere? Interrupt? Save you?   
  
"Here," she placed the fork gently in his hand seeing that he seemed to have fallen into a coma with the thought of them here, all by themselves. It kind of gave her courage is some perverse way. "You all right?"  
  
Rocky blinked. He glanced at her then put the plate down before he dropped it. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't realize that they had gone out and..." He frowned and shook his head. "Where did they go?"  
  
"Jason's." She answered simply before dipping her finger into the whipped cream and bringing the sweet topping to her lips.   
  
He nearly swallowed his tongue watching as her finger disappeared between her sweetly pouting lips the reappearing clean and shining with her own... Head out of that direction! "Why did you guys call me here if you were all going to Jason's?"  
  
"We weren't all going to Jason's," she smiled and offered him a bit of the pie with the fork since he seemed incapable of feeding himself now.   
  
"Huh?"  
  
Oh, she was enjoying this game now. Trini had been right, touch upon a man's senses and turn them inside out. "I wasn't going to go so you were wrong to say that everyone was going to Jason's."  
  
He frowned having some trouble following the direction of the conversation. "Then..."  
  
"I was waiting here for you." She smiled at him sweetly, tilting her head slightly and ran her hand index finger lightly of his lips to wipe away crumbs. That little touch sent a jolt through her system with enough energy to light up the Eiffel Tower. Okay, let's keep hands off of him until we get the problem resolved.  
  
Rocky swallowed hard feeling his system completely electrified by that simple gesture. "W...w....why?"  
  
"Why what?" she asked as she place the plate back down so not to give her shaking hands away. Play it cool, don't let him see you rattled. You're the seductress. The woman that's going to win her man with her... Oh, you're an idiot and you are going to do whatever it takes tonight to make him see that you want more than just a friendship from him. Then you're going to pray to god that you're friends are not wrong and that he does have at least a little spark of interest in you.   
  
"Why were waiting here for me?" His head cleared a little as he shifted his mind away from what her hands were doing. "Why am I even here?"  
  
Now or never, kid. "Cause I asked the others for some time to be alone with you."  
  
Breath Rocky, just breath. "Oh." Okay, don't breath. Just think a little more clearly and try not to answer with such stupid monosyllables. "Can I ask if there is some particular reason that you wanted to see me alone? I mean not that I won't have agreed to come or anything. But we did spend about half a night in an attic yesterday with nothing to d but stare at the walls and sleep. Why would you suddenly have..."  
  
She found the most effective way to shut a man up is simply by distracting them with a pair of warm hands and a set of warmer lips. She didn't really know what possessed her to be so bold all of a sudden. Maybe it was all that encouragement from Tanya and her little "jump the boy" theory of approach to guy-problems. Or maybe it was the fact that it's been so long since she's gotten to feel that kind of wonderful fire that his kiss had ignited in her that one and only night they had been together.   
  
Rocky didn't know what to do with himself. He wanted to hold her, to bring her closer to him, to feel that wonderfully beautiful body pressed up tight against his. God, I can't breathe. And he didn't want to either.   
  
The hesitant hands slowly crept around her and she shivered in reaction. She had imagined a hundred times of how he would hold her again but it was nothing compared to feeling the real flesh and blood body that she was being pulled again.   
  
They both loathed the fact that oxygen was a necessarily part of what could potentially be a wonderful night between them.   
  
He took big gulping breaths, trying to clear his mind from the heavy mist of passion that had surrounded it. "Aisha, I..."  
  
"I don't want to be friends." She whispered against his lips, her body still pressed against his. "If you tell me you just want to be friends, I'll either have to kill you or commit suicide. And since, I'm religious oppose to taking my own life, you'd be in serious danger."  
  
He gave a reluctant laugh as he tried to breath more easily over the sudden tightness in his chest. He had a strange sense of déjà vu. Now, you idiot. Tell her now. "I don't want to be friend either. I don't kind I'd live through our friendship, especially not after that thinly veiled threat."  
  
Aisha gasped for air. She had expect a thousand answers, maybe in a million different one where her heart would be broken and she would end up smashing something hard against something fragile. But to have her words thrown back at her was the one that she hadn't expected, the one that she had allowed herself to dream being returned to her. He lips trembled as his caressed her cheek, the way he had done in Monte Carlo. "Rocky..."  
  
"I've loved you since the second grade. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever had the pleasure of seeing in my life. Would that the world was as beautiful as the beauty God has bestowed upon you, this would be paradise." He smiled, skimming his lips along her jaw line. "I believe that those were the exact words I said the night that we made love."  
  
She stared at him, completely stunned.   
  
Rocky traced her brows with his blunt fingertips. "I told you, I remember everything about that night." He grinned suddenly. "Well, except the part about how you got up upstairs in the first place cause I highly doubt you could have carried me up there."  
  
She blinked. "I leaned you up against the elevator and then kind of pushed you down the hall way." She shook her head. "You remembered that night." She couldn't seem to understand that part quite yet.  
  
"Yeah, I remembered." He kissed her eyes shut. "I remember everything that we did, every time we kissed, every time we touched."   
  
She could feel herself being seduced. Hey, aren't I suppose to be the seducer here? Opening her eyes, she stared into his. "Do you regret it?"  
  
He almost laughed. "Do I look like I regret it at all?"  
  
"Rocky..."  
  
"I love you." He brushed her hair back, still holding her close to him. "Do you think you could ever feel anything close to what I feel for you now?"  
  
Aisha wasn't sure if she was suppose to laugh or cry. Reaching over, she clicked on the CD player and picked just the right song that she and Tanya thought would have been appropriate for Rocky's seduction. But now, it was just right for showing him everything there was to know.   
  
He felt his heart shatter as she pulled away from him. You idiot, what made you think that she would ever...  
  
She could see the pain there as she turned back to him. She kissed his lips softly and leaned her brow against his. "Sh... just listen to the song for a minute."  
  
I must be crazy now  
Maybe I dream too much  
But when I think of you  
I long to feel your touch   
To whisper in your ear  
Words that are old as time  
Words only you would hear  
If only you were mine   
I wish I could go back to the very first day I saw you  
Should've made my move when you looked in my eyes  
'Cause by now I know that you'd feel the way that I do  
And I'd whisper these words as you'd lie here by my side   
I love you, please say  
You love me too, these three words  
They could change our lives forever  
And I promise you that we will always be together  
Till the end of time   
So today, I finally find the courage deep inside  
Just to walk right up to your door  
But my body can't move when I finally get to it  
Just like a thousand times before   
Then without a word he handed me this letter  
Read I hope this finds the way into your heart, it said   
I love you, please say  
You love me too, these three words  
They could change our lives forever  
And I promise you that we will always be together  
Till the end of time   
Well maybe I, I need a little love yeah  
And maybe I, I need a little care  
And maybe I, maybe you, maybe you, maybe you  
Oh you need somebody just to hold you  
If you do, just reach out and I'll be there   
I love you, please say  
You love me too  
Please say you love me too  
Till the end of time  
These three words  
They could change our lives forever  
And I promise you that we will always be together   
Oh, I love you  
Please say you love me too  
Please please  
Say you love me too  
Till the end of time  
My baby  
Together, together, forever  
Till the end of time  
I love you  
I will be your light  
Shining bright  
Shining through your eyes  
My baby  
  
He felt incredible humbled by that. And his heart.... His heart felt as if a great weight had been left from it. He felt so alive and he wanted to....His hand cupped her face. "Let me make love to you."  
  
She smiled, that same smile that seduced him that night so many years ago. He felt skipped a beat and he wanted to drop to his knees to beg. She must have read his eyes cause she chuckled. "Why do you think the girls are gone?"  
  
Rocky suddenly felt like laughing. "Were you planning on seducing me, Aisha Campbell?"  
  
Shrugging casually, "Seems like the best way to get you in bed again." She answered honestly.  
  
The twinkle in his eyes seemed to light up the whole room. "Don't you know that all you ever had to do was ask?"  
  
"I do now."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Why do I have a feeling that I'm not getting the whole picture yet?"  



	38. Next Phase

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Life is like a rose, we must all stop to enjoy it. This one is for Sarah. Always know that life is wonderful and you have a friend here twenty-four seven to watch your back and bring you ice cream.   
  
Note: I am writing this story so I'm not tempted to throw something hard and deadly in frustrating moments. I'm not sure where I want to take this story but I promise to try to make it fun and interesting for everyone that reads it.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Eight  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 31, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Good morning," Jason said as he kissed her lightly on the cheek.  
  
"Morning to you too." She smiled and glanced at the door. "Weren't you even a little afraid that someone might have walked in?"  
  
"It's six forty-five in the morning, Trini. The others won't be awake until at least seven." He took a sip of the tea she had sitting on the counter. "Hum... Tea in the morning?"  
  
"Yeah," she shrugged. "My stomach is still feeling kind of buggy so I thought I should keep off the caffeine for a little while. But don't tempt me, I'm dying for some java."  
  
He shook his head and pulled out milk from the frig. "Anything I can do?" he eyed the muffins that were baking in the oven.   
  
"Yeah, help me get some juice out." She was currently making toast and fried eyes. "I wanted to talk to you about Billy."  
  
"What about our favorite boy genius?" Jason grinned as he pulled her back into his embrace. "Hum... Speaking of which, he was right."  
  
"Right about what?" she leaned her head back and relaxed into his arms.   
  
"About this being so good." He buried his nose into her herbal scented hair. "I like being able to make breakfast with you in the morning."  
  
She was rather amused. "You like making a continental breakfast for half a dozen people every morning?"  
  
He chuckled. "No, I meant..."  
  
"I know what you mean." She tilted her head up and exchanged a sweet lingering kiss with him. "I missed you last night."  
  
"Well, I couldn't exactly offer to share my bed with you and I don't think Tanya would have appreciated it if we had sex with her sleeping on the futon right next to you." He grinned as he suddenly held a mental image of that.  
  
Trini saw the look and elbowed him hard in the stomach just as Adam and Billy came through the door.  
  
"Whoa... Fight?" Adam grinned as Jason rubbed his stomach. "Okay, Jason. What did you do?"  
  
Jason frowned at him. "What makes you think I did anything?"  
  
Adam laughed as he picked up the coffee pot. "Cause she's cooking."  
  
"And that means that I have to take the blame for her trying to dislodge my liver?" He asked mockingly wounded. "That's a pretty bias opinion there. Just cause she fills your stomach..."  
  
"And everyone else's around here." Billy pointed out.  
  
Jason rolled his eyes and laughed. "Okay, okay, my fault."  
  
"Thank you." Trini grinned sweetly at him. "Now get the juice."  
  
"Talk about task master," he muttered under his breath. Shaking his head, he reached for the juice. "Whatever happened to a man being the king of his castle?"  
  
"It left the building when feminist revolution came in." She laughed as she continued to cook while the other staggered in one by one.   
  
Breakfast was a rowdy event with everyone talking and laughing all at once as they filled their plates and got ready to go to work. The conversation ranged from the stock market to the newest fashion in the stories. Over all, it was a comfortable and fun way to start the day. The only time there was a near incident was when Trini laughed as she very naturally split a muffin with Jason who accepted it without though, causing Billy to nearly chock on his coffee while Adam eyed them with interest. But no one else seemed to notice anything strange.   
  
After the others started the get up and get ready for work, Tanya asked rather slyly. "What happened to the human garbage disposal? Did he come home last night?"  
  
Trini snorted. "With Aisha hell bent on seducing him, you really thing he's going to be walking straight this morning much less come home last night?"  
  
"As long as those two kiss and make up, or make out, it's all good." Kimberly laughed. "You could give him a massage. I seem to recall you took some classes on that once."  
  
Jason shook his head adamantly, trying to shake a sudden mental image out of his head the pointed at Trini. "I don't think so. If you do, I'd have to kill him and then Aisha would be very upset with me."  
  
Trini started to laugh hysterically, making the others look at her as if she's completely lost her mind. Apparently, Jason remembered exactly what happened when she last gave a massage, this whole situation between them was a direct result of little massage she attempted to give him.   
  
"What's going on?" Adam asked, sensing the obvious joke between the two of them though Jason seemed less amused by it than Trini was. "What's so funny?"  
  
Trini wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes and shook her head. "Never mind, you had to be there."  
  
"What did you do?" Tanya asked with amusement. "Break Jason's bones or something?"  
  
Billy really did choke on his coffee this time as he made the suddenly and probably correct connection to why Jason did not want Trini giving Rocky a massage.   
  
"Whoa, Billy." Zack patted the man on the back. "Take a deep breath man."  
  
"You okay?" Kimberly asked with concerned as Billy gasped for air and tried not to laugh at the same time.   
  
Trini and Jason were both grinning as they both knew that Billy had added two and two and now has four. "Okay, we better get going or we'll be late for work. See you all tonight." And Trini and Jason both headed for the front door where they're briefcases and laptops were.   
  
"They're right," Tommy shrugged himself into his blazer. "We better get going too, Beautiful."   
  
Kimberly nodded and gulped the last of her coffee down. "Bye guys."  
  
"Bye," Tanya walked them to the door while Zack started to stack the dishes away.   
  
Billy and Adam watched the two couples leave. "Don't you have work?" Billy asked Adam who was studying Jason helping Trini into the car a little too keenly.   
  
"Night shift," he frowned as Jason rounded the car and slide into the driver seat. "You know what?"  
  
"What?" Billy couldn't help but grin.  
  
Adam eyed him with curiosity. "Why do I have a feeling that I'm not getting the whole picture yet?"  
  
"I have not idea."  
  
"You know something, don't you?"  
  
Billy smiled and headed back to the kitchen to help Zack. "I know a lot of things."  
  
"And I'm talking about specific things that maybe the whole gang ought to know but for some reason only you do." Adam narrowed his eyes. "And it has something to do with Trini and Jason."  
  
Shaking his head, Billy gave him a sympathetic smile. "I promised Trini something and I'm not going to break that promise."  
  
"You know her guy's name, don't you?"  
  
He wasn't going to lie about it. "Yes."  
  
"And Jason?"  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"You have something on him too."  
  
"Is that a statement or a question?" He teased.  
  
Adam growled something under his breath. "Everybody's keeping secrets these day."  
  
Billy shook his head. "Not everyone."  
  
He grumbled again while Billy laughed.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 31, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Aisha rolled over and found the sheets beside her cold. Her heart caught in her throat for a moment before she sighed. Sheesh girl, did you really expect something to be there? For heaven sakes, he has work and things to do. Unlike you, he's got to...  
  
"Good morning." Rocky sat down gingerly on the bed. "I brought you some coffee."  
  
She blinked and stared at him stunned.  
  
"What?" He grinned suddenly. "Did you think it was all a wet dream?"  
  
She blinked again expressionlessly.   
  
"Aisha, you're making me nervous now." He leaned over and kissed her gently on the cheek. "You want to get up?"  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked suddenly.  
  
He gave her a look of disbelief. "Okay, considering that we did not have any alcohol last night, you can't possibly tell me that you don't remember. And considering..."  
  
"No, stop," she grabbed the coffee out of his hand and took a big bracing gulp of it then came up coughing. "Oh my god, I just drank mud!"  
  
He frowned and took the cup back. "It's just strong coffee."  
  
"It's mud!"  
  
"It's coffee." He insisted. "God, you sound just like Adam."  
  
"Adam is a smart man." She kept sticking her tongue out trying to get the taste off. "Did you have to brew the coffee to death?"  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Okay, okay," she took a deep breath, forgetting the horrible bitter taste in her mouth. "I asked you what you were doing here cause I know you had work this morning. Why aren't you there yet?"  
  
He put the cup down, relieved. "I called in and told them that I won't be coming in today. I wanted to spend a little time with you. Maybe even talk."  
  
She blinked yet again. "I would rather we just have sex."  
  
It was his turn to blink at her. The he burst out laughing. "I thought that would be my line."  
  
"What you think girl's don't have needs?" she asked rather innocently.  
  
"No, it's not that." He sighed and got into the bed with her. Snuggling her close, he touched his hand to her nose. "It's just that everyone is always saying that how guys don't talk about their feelings and all they seem to want to do is hit the sack. I just thought that maybe I can play the good boyfriend this morning."  
  
She grinned. "Rocky, you don't have to be anyone other than yourself for me." She poked him gently in the chest. "I fell in love with the guy that drank all my juice in elementary school, needed a tutor in calculus in high school, became a power ranger, then went on to become a fabulous journalist. The same guy that made potty jokes as a kid and ate more than six starving sailors in one sitting. You're the guy that I loved all these years. You don't need to be..."  
  
His mouth was hot and demanding on hers, taking from her all the love she had to give him. "Then I think it's time for you to shut up."  
  
"Hum..." Her hand caressed the bare skin across his shoulders. "I like that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 31, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
Trini's hand moved like lightning across her keyboard as she typed out the proof of service form for the Notice of complaint and summons. "Janice? I need ten minutes with the senior partners this afternoon. Can you schedule it for me?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Thanks." She bit her lip. "Oh, and do I have anything at one?"  
  
Janice flipped through the calendar. "Nothing until two. Do you want the meeting at one?"  
  
"No, make it sometime after three. I need to take care of something personal at one. Can you get me Vogue Magazine? Kimberly Hart's desk."  
  
"Okay, just a second." Janice made a note to herself and went to locate the number. "Ms. Kwan, Ms. Hart on line two."  
  
"Thanks, Janice. I'll make you cookies." She picked up the phone quickly. "Kim, need help."  
  
"Well hello to you too?" Kimberly laughed. "What's up?"  
  
"Okay, guys give girls rings when they propose. What does a girl give a guy when they propose?" Trini asked seriously even as her fingers finished with the document in front of her. Setting it to print, she glanced at the phone. "Hello?"  
  
Kimberly swallowed hard then muttered something about brain damage then, "Trini, I want to you to sit down and take a deep breath."  
  
Amused, Trini does. "Okay."  
  
"Now I want to take your right hand and make it into a fist."  
  
She grinned. "Okay."  
  
"Now hit yourself really REALLY hard! You're going to have to knock something back into place because you've now officially lost your mind."  
  
Trini laughed. "A little extreme there don't you think?"  
  
"No," she sat back into her chair and sighed. "Trini, I just don't want you jumping into something that has the potential to blow up in your face. Remember Oliver?"  
  
"Oliver was a freak. This guy isn't." She explained calmly. Trini was beginning to see the real disadvantage of not tell Kimberly about Jason. "Look, are you going to help me with..."  
  
There was a long pause. "What?"  
  
"I just thought of something." She grinned. "I know what I can get him."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind. Thanks for all your help. I'll see you tonight." She was about to hang up the phone when something occurred to her. "And don't tell anyone yet. I want it to be a real surprise."  
  
"Oh, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a surprise all around. Trini..."  
  
"Bye." And she hung up the phone and ran a hand through her hair. "Janice? I need the number to a good jeweler."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 31, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
"Syd, Syd, Syd," Tommy was grinning from ear to ear. "You are a god!"  
  
"I'm glad you're pleased with my work." Sydney felt as if he could conquer the world at the moment. Not only has he nabbed himself possibly the nicest commission around, he always pulled off the impossible. "Now, the Neiman's will be out of the house by Monday morning. All that is left is for you both to come in and sign the official papers and for you to visit the bank and issue the transfer."  
  
"I can have that done by today."  
  
"Great," he could almost see the young man rubbing his hands together with glee. "Then you can decide on when you want to move in after the papers have been signed."  
  
"How fast do you think I can get a bed and dinning room set delivered to the house?" Tommy was flipping through his calendar cursing over the fact that he was booked almost solidly through on both Monday and Tuesday. "I have a free hour on Wednesday afternoon around 3:00 pm. Can we meet at that time for the signing?"  
  
Syd almost sighed out loud. The man was eager. "I'll call the Neiman's and ask but don't get your hopes up just quite yet. We'll be extremely lucky to get things put together by Friday."  
  
"I'm sure you will do your best. Thanks, Syd."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 31, 2004  
Miller and Hoffman Architectural Company  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 1000  
New York City, New York  
  
"Jason, how are we doing on that?" Silence. "Jason?"  
  
Jason Scott was currently absorbed in the exact measurements of a stable east side support that would be placed on the dome to create a more Renaissance look to the addition.   
  
"JASON!"  
  
"What?" He blinked, shaking off the intensity of his concentration and pulled himself back to the real world. "Mr. Miller?"  
  
The older man looked close to bursting out laughing. "Not every day one gets to design a seventeenth century architecture is it?"  
  
"No," Jason grinned. "I'm glad that I'm getting this opportunity though."  
  
"Bet you didn't even think that this was a possibility when you signed on with us." Miller liked the young man more and more. He was easy going, good at what he did, and obviously dedicated to his work. "This is the wonderful thing about this company, we get the strange stuff."  
  
He laughed, "Yeah. I'm sure glad that you guys wanted me. This Venetian project is like nothing that I've ever done before. It's the first time since college prep. classes that I've had to study Renaissance architecture and landscaping."  
  
"Well, you're doing one hell of a job at it. I've seen the preliminary stuff you submitted to the company, they're absolutely spectacular. I can't wait to see..."  
  
The ringing phone cut the older man off.  
  
"Answer it, I'll be back later to talk." Then Miller was out the door whistling.  
  
Jason shook his head and picked up the phone. "Jason Scott."  
  
"Hello, Mr. Scott. My name is Norman Levine with Cartier. We have the ring you requested resized."  
  
"Really?" That was real fast. "When can I pick it up?"  
  
"Anytime is fine. We have it in a safe in the back ready for you."  
  
"Okay, I'm going to try to stop by this afternoon. Thanks."  
  
"Thank you sir."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 31, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Brrrrriiiiiinnnnnnggggg.............."  
  
Rocky groaned and picked up the phone trying not to disturb a sleeping Aisha that was sprawled over his chest. "Hello?"  
  
Trini grinned with great amusement. "Rocky, do I even want to know what you're doing in my house at three in the afternoon when you should be at work?"  
  
He rubbed his eyes. "No, you really don't want to know. Unless you're into kinky conversations with real graphic descriptions."  
  
She chuckled. "Okay, okay we're not going to go there."  
  
"What's up, yellow ranger?" he glanced down at the sleeping form. "Never mind. What's up, Trini?"  
  
"I wanted to talk speak with Aisha and Tanya, but I'm going to guess that they're not there."  
  
"Aisha is, but she's sleeping. And before you ask, I'm not waking her up."  
  
Biting her tongue so as not to ask the obvious, she took a few deep breaths to keep the laughter form erupting from her lips. "Okay, would you please tell her and Tanya when you see her that I need to talk to them both and Kimberly about needing the house on Saturday."  
  
Rocky frowned, he like all the other guys were concern over Trini's mystery man. "Why? What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing is going on, nosy." She grinned. "I need the house for a surprise."  
  
"Does this have anything to..."  
  
"You're not going to act all macho stupid on me now, are you Rocky? Cause I would hate to have to rearrange your body parts. Aisha would no doubt be very upset with me at that point. And you won't want Aisha to be upset now would you?"  
  
He sighed. "Why is it you girls never play fair?"  
  
"That's cause we are girls."   
  
"Yeah, yeah. I'll give her the message. Anything else?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm making cheesecake for dessert tonight, could you go get some strawberry preserves and gram crackers when you finally get around to putting on your pants again?"  
  
"You little..."  
  
"Hey, watch what you say in my house." She grinned with great delight. "Bye, now."  
  
Rocky grunted. "Bye."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
July 31, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Oh, what's on for tonight?" Zack asked as they finished off Trini's cheesecake with strawberry topping.   
  
"I say we play a couple of nice games." Tanya suggested with a grin.  
  
Aisha snorted in reaction. "That ain't going to cut it, Tanya. This girl does not kiss and tell for any reason."  
  
"Who wants you to kiss and tell?' Tanya asked innocently and batted her eyes. "I just thought that we can all catch up on the events in our lives."  
  
Kimberly shook her head and laughed. "You really are impossible."  
  
"I do try."  
  
Trini yawned and leaned back in her chair. "Well, I'm not opposed to playing something as long as it doesn't take too long. I still have a stack of paper work to look at."  
  
"Okay, I thought lawyers were suppose to be making big bucks with little work." Tommy said with a grin. "I mean, all I see you do is work."  
  
"Some of us have to work for a living," she grinned.  
  
"That would exclude you as well," Tommy pointed out. "Don't think I haven't seen your profile. Your investments have been making you a nice tidy sum so don't be lumping yourself out of the making money like chocolate category."  
  
"In her case," Billy pointed. "That would actually be applicable."   
  
"Shut up," she threw the napkin at him. "Okay, pick a game guys."  
  
"How about Stripe Poker?" Zack suggested with a grin.  
  
Jason, Rocky and Tommy shouted no at the exact same time, sending the others into a peal of laugher.  
  
"Okay, okay, Zack backed off with a wave of his hand. "What about..."  
  
"BS?" Tanya asked sweetly. "We can play Bull Shit!"  
  
"No," Rocky shook his head. "That gives Trini a great big advantage, being a lawyer and all."   
  
Trini would have throw something at him but she had already loss her napkin to Billy. "That's not fair. We lawyers are always getting the bad rep."  
  
"How about a little Truth or Dare?" Aisha suggested.   
  
"Hey," Tanya gave her a look. "I thought you were the one that didn't want to play that game."  
  
"I don't see anything wrong with it as long as we set up some ground rules first." She answered smugly.   
  
"Okay," Trini nodded her head. "I can deal with that. Guys?"  
  
The others nodded. Aisha grinned. "Rule number one, no intimate personal questions that could potentially hurt anyone."  
  
"Rule number two," Kimberly piped in. "No obscene questions."  
  
"Rule number three," Trini added. "No insistence on questions that the player is reluctant to answer."  
  
"Rule number three," Tanya grinned. "No dares that involves nudity." Rocky snapped his finger in regret.  
  
"Rule number four," Tommy came in with. "No dares that will get us arrested."  
  
Everyone looked around, waiting to see if anyone else would add another rule to the game. "Everyone good then?" Tanya asked cautiously. With their nods she grinned. "Okay then. Tommy, truth or dare?"  
  
"Oh man," Tommy groaned. "Why do I always get picked on first?"  
  
Kimberly laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "Probably cause you were leader of the Rangers for the longest time and we like to pick on the ones that gave us orders."   
  
He made a face. "Truth."  
  
Tanya grinned. "Is it true that you use to wear Kimberly's socks when you forgot to bring clean ones of your own?"  
  
Tommy turned to stare at Kimberly. She looked shocked at Tanya then turned to her boyfriend. "I did not tell!" She turned back to her friend. "How did you..."  
  
Tanya was grinning from ear to ear. "I spotted pink ones on his feet once and guessed."  
  
The others broke out into laughter while Tommy turned an unbecoming shade of pink. "Okay, okay, so I have my moments of insanity. Billy, truth or dare?"  
  
Billy was having some trouble containing his laughter. "Truth."  
  
"Coward," Tommy muttered then thought about the question to ask. "Okay. Did you and Cestria ever had any problems due to your planetary difference?"  
  
"Problems?" Billy could tell that Tommy was trying to skirt around rule number one. "Cestria and I have great sex if that's what you wanted to know. It was the different in personality that finally broke us up. Plus, I really don't see her wanting to live on earth."  
  
"Really?" Tommy thought about it. "So how did you guys..."  
  
"That's one too many questions." Billy grinned. "Rocky?"  
  
"Dare," he wasn't about to answer anything at the moment knowing what kind of question would probably be asked.   
  
"I dare you to make us that pineapple upside down cake you keep talking about." Billy grinned.   
  
"Oh great," Tanya made a face. "Now you'd have to dare someone to try it!"  
  
"Hey," Aisha laughed. "No picking on my man."  
  
"So he's your man now," Tanya asked mockingly. "Yesterday he was your own walking nightmare."  
  
"That was before sex." Aisha answer bluntly enough to make Rocky blush.   
  
"He's that good?" Tanya asked with a laugh. The girls dissolved into giggles.   
  
"Rocky?" Billy asked. "The cake?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," he got up and took the apron that Trini held out for him. "Okay, we'll keep playing while I do this. Trini, truth or dare?"  
  
She grinned. "I'll be brave. Truth."  
  
"What is it that you want the house for tomorrow?" Rocky asked as he pull out a mixing bowl.   
  
"Wait, what's this?" Kimberly asked with a frown. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I want the house tomorrow." Trini stated simply then looked at Rocky. "I want it cause I would like to prepare a special meal for my guy."  
  
Billy shot Jason a look, noting the frown on the former Gold Ranger's face. "Have you informed him?" Billy asked.   
  
"Not yet," she said with a grin while she slipped her hand under the table to squeeze Jason's knee. "It was going to be a surprise. I was going to call him up tomorrow and invite him over. Have him make some lame excuse like he had to work or something if he had any plans. Then I was going to seduce him in my living room." She grinned as she said it, all the while running her hand along the inside of Jason's thigh in a smooth firm motion.   
  
Jason wanted to squirm and jump in his chair but knew that would be a mistake. "And if he didn't come?"  
  
"Then he would be making a big mistake." She pointed out sweetly.   
  
Billy rolled his eyes.   
  
Kimberly frowned, remembering their earlier conversation. "You're not going to do something stupid right?"  
  
"Stupid? Me?" Trini batted her eyes at her best friend. "Never. Now.... Kimberly, truth or dare?"  
  
She kept the frown on her face. "Truth."  
  
"You and Tommy, you guys had sex on my couch on Wednesday, true?" She asked sweetly.  
  
The two looked at her as if she'd just as them to jump each other in front of their friends. Tommy was the first to react when his mind caught up to his ear. "How did you... You don't have a spy camera in your house do you?"  
  
Trini and the others laughed. "No, but you and Kim forgot to clean up after yourselves. The thing still smelled like sex all the next day." She made a face. "You'd think if you were going to do something that tacky, you would at least make sure to use the nice big bottle of Febreeze in the closet."  
  
Kimberly closed her hanging mouth. "Oh my god, is that why we have that... Oh my god!"  
  
The others erupted into laughter.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "That's early for someone that didn't get to bed until two in the morning."  



	39. The Proposal

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: The Two Shawns. Thanks guys, for all your support and encouragements.   
  
Note: I'm almost there! Hopefully I can wrap this story up in a few more chapters, maybe by forty-five or forty-six but who knows. My track record for estimating the ending of stories hasn't been too great. Thanks for always being so patient with me.  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Thirty-Nine  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 1, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Zack yawned as he made his way into the kitchen. He had spent two hours on his phone last night talking to his girlfriend, who was back in Seattle, Washington visiting her family. She was more than excited over the prospects of returning to work soon. The girl had been born to be in Broadway and this was her big chance to shine, as she never would. He was so happy that she was happy. But it did make for an exhausting conversation. Life was good right now and he wasn't want of anything.  
  
Well, right now, he wanted coffee.  
  
"Good morning." Billy called out as he sipped his coffee with the morning newspaper.   
  
"Agh... Why do you people have to be so cheery in the morning?" Zack complained as he poured himself some black death and glanced at the empty tabletop. "Trini didn't stay last night?"  
  
"No, she needed to go home and work on her notes or something. You know lawyers, their Friday nights are about as fun as their Saturday ones." Billy hid a grin behind this mug. He knew that Jason had been disappointed that no one had managed to keep their respective girlfriends around, publicly acknowledged ones or not. "I made the coffee since it was fool proof but you're on your own with everything else that has to do with the morning meal unless Trini decided to come over for breakfast."  
  
"Coffee is enough for now. I don't think I can handle food this early in the morning." He yawned and stretched his arms above his head. He was definitely going to have to take Tommy up on that offer to go a couple of rounds. It's been a while but he still remembered enough martial arts to keep his own. Besides which, it would be a good way to stay in shape. Rehearsals start in another week.   
  
"Early?" Billy glanced at his watch. "It's eight in the morning."   
  
"That's early for someone that didn't get to bed until two in the morning."  
  
Billy shook his head and turned to the papers again. "Heard you were up talking on the phone."  
  
"My girl is getting ready to go back to work by Monday. She wanted to know when to pick me up on Tuesday."   
  
Setting the paper down, Billy sighed. "I can't believe you're leaving so soon. I feel like we haven't really seen each other that much this week."  
  
"We see each other everyday plus live in the same house." Zack grinned. "But yeah, I know what you mean. I don't think I realize just how much I miss you guys until I got to spend so much time with you guys again."  
  
"Well, you're going to have to visit more often then." Billy grinned and picked up his paper again.   
  
Zack leaned his chin in his fist. "So... according to last night's game, you are leaving for the land down under sometime after I leave for the state of sunshine?"  
  
"That's right," not putting the paper down knowing that he was likely to be grinning like a fool at the moment. He hadn't realize that the prospects of seeing Kat could give him such enormously good feeling inside, even if she slam the door on his hope of anything pass friendship with her, he would at least have some peace in his heart over this.   
  
"And you were going to inform the rest of us when?"  
  
He shrugged. "I guess it just never came up."  
  
Zack muttered something and rolled his eyes. "I swear, you people are turning weirder and weirder on me every day."   
  
Billy laughed and passed the sports and entertainment section over to Zack just as the back door opened to let in a stream of sunlight and an exhausted Adam. "Good morning."  
  
Adam winced as he staggered toward the coffee. He had been chugging the stuff down all night to stay awake while operating on a young man that decided to do some unfortunate stunts on his two wheeler, tending to a woman whose cat turned demon on her, and a boy with a broken wrist that didn't speak a word of English. He had enough caffeine in his system to charge a rhino but god he was tired. "I need to get a better job. This one is killing me."  
  
"I would be easier on your body if you weren't pulling crazy shifts like these."  
  
"I'm the new guy. They're going to torture me a while before easing me into a regular timeslot." He winced as the hot liquid scorched his tongue. "So, what happened last night?"  
  
"Very informative game of Truth or Dare," Zack put in.   
  
Adam snapped his finger. "Damn, I'm sorry I missed that." He gave Billy a look. "I have a few pointed questions to put to some of our friends."  
  
Billy smiled. "Trini is kicking the girls out of her house tonight so she can prepare dinner for her guy."  
  
"Really?" Adam's brows went up, all signs of fatigue vanished. "Well, looks like I'm going to get my answer after all."   
  
Zack looked from one to the other in keen curiosity. "What are you two brain talking about?"  
  
Adam shook his head. "Nothing, just a theory. Nothing but a theory."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 1, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Good morning," Trini called as she dragged the two big grocery bags into the kitchen. "You guys find the biscuits I made this morning okay?"  
  
"More than okay," Tanya was sipping juice contently. "Man, I'm so glad you can cook. Though now you've pretty much spoiled me to the point that I'm vacationing here next time I get a few weeks off."  
  
"You're more than welcome here at anytime, darling." She pulled out fresh vegetables. "Just not tonight."  
  
"You're really having him over?" she asked as she set the cup down and looked at her friend.   
  
"Yes," Trini grinned at her fellow former yellow ranger. "I'm going to make him dinner and let him have me for desert."  
  
Tanya giggled. "Okay, I don't think I'll ever get use to you doing that."  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"Blunt talk." She crossed her arms and sat back. "When I was a ranger, Tommy and Jason use to tell me about all the former rangers, including you. And I've seen the pictures as well, you and all the other together, in and out of uniform. Tommy described you, and I quote, 'a shy pretty gal with more brain power than her zord has energy.' Jason said that you were brilliant, quiet, intuitive, a whole lot stronger than he was. He was very much an admirer."  
  
Trini grinned, liking this little insight. "Really? They said that I was shy and quiet?"  
  
Tanya laughed, knowing what that would sound like now. "Oh yeah. I guess they didn't know you as well as they thought they did."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure that I was." Trini nodded her head and put more stuff away. "I didn't really come into my own until I left Angel Grove. I was kind of the typical Asian girl in high school. I got good grades, I worked in the community, very private, very strict up bringing, and I didn't date. But most of that was just cause of being a ranger and all. I didn't get out there until Switzerland."  
  
"Well," she picked up an apple. "I'm glad that you're the way you are. And I would be much happier if you introduce your lover boy to us."  
  
Trini shook her head. "Not yet but I promise that I will soon. I just have to do this thing tonight and then I'll be ready."  
  
"You really going to seduce him in the living room?" Tanya asked with a great deal of amusement. She still couldn't get over the fact that Trini had let the cat out of the bag last night about Tommy and Kimberly's bedroom activities. It was just too funny. Though now she no longer wants to sleep on the sofa bed that pulled out from the couch. Just too disturbing a thought.   
  
The young lawyer was pulling stuff from her cupboards. "Nay, I only said it to get to Kim. I prefer my bed for such activities, more room to maneuver." She tiled her head and thought for a moment. "I second thought, I like his bed better. It's got an entire ocean of satin or cotton to play around in."   
  
"Your guy sleeps on satin sheets?"  
  
"A gift from his grandmother."  
  
"So he says," Tanya grinned.   
  
"So I know." Trini shook her head. "You guys want Shepard's Pie or Curry Chicken tonight?"  
  
"Excuse me?"   
  
"I'm going to make you guys dinner to take over to the guy's place. It's the least I can do for kicking you all out tonight."  
  
"Then Shepard's Pie." Tanya grinned. "If we rely on the guys to get us dinner, we'd end up with bad Rocky food or pizza."  
  
"Speaking of which," Trini looked toward the doorway. "Where are Rocky's girl and Tommy's girl?"  
  
Tanya laughed, liking the little possessive terms of endearment. "Those two are at the mall, picking up some clothes. Aisha claims that she hasn't had a decent outfit since we left for Africa six months ago. And Kimberly wants to buy something special to wow her guy."  
  
"I think Tommy can be wowed by her if she was wearing a potato sack."   
  
"Noticed the I-love-you look in his eyes too huh?"  
  
"You'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to see it." Trini grinned.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 1, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"What do you think?"  
  
Rocky let out a long appreciative whistle. "Wow."  
  
"Yeah?" Jason glanced at the rock in the velvet case. "You don't think it's too much?"  
  
"Remember that song sang by Marilyn Monroe?" Rocky asked.  
  
Tommy frowned. "Which movie?"  
  
"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."  
  
Jason shook his head. "I like brunettes."  
  
"Not the movie, the song in the movie." Rocky said with a grin. "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend."  
  
Tommy tapped Rocky lightly on the back of the head. "Will you get serious here?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Jason is about to ask his girl to marry him." Tommy explained.   
  
Rocky sighed, not all together sure if he was sorry or not for accidentally walking in on a conversation between Tommy and Jason. "I didn't even know he was dating anyone until two or three days ago, now the guy is getting ready to pop the question. Why is it that I'm always the last to know anything?"  
  
"You're just dense," Tommy grinned affectionately. "Cheer up, it's not like he shared with anyone else except maybe Trini."  
  
"You suck, Jason." Rocky complained.   
  
"Guys, help here." Jason waved his hand. "You really think she's going to like it?"  
  
"No girl in her right mind is going to turn down that boulder you're going to put on her finger." Rocky pointed out.  
  
Jason frowned. "It's too big isn't it? She's going to hate it when she sees it. She's always been so discreet about her choices in jewelry. This thing is going to look like a giant sore on her hand. I might as well make her wear a noose when I ask her to marry me. What the hell was I thinking?" Jason slapped himself in the forehead.  
  
Rocky and Tommy exchanged quick glances. "Hey, now I'm sure she's going to love it." Rocky said hurriedly. "I didn't mean nothing by it. It was just a joke."  
  
"It's not joke to me." Jason snapped the box shut with the closing of his fist. "I want it to be perfect. Kind of in the movies, you know song, wine and me on one knee."  
  
"Do girls still go for that kind of thing?" Rocky asked with his usual quick wit.   
  
"I'm sure it's going to be great no matter how you do it." Tommy said reassuringly while fighting the strong urge to kick Rocky in the shin. "And I'm sure she's going to love the ring. It's a gorgeous ring. I'd marry you if you presented me with that rock."  
  
Jason frowned at his best friend. "Thanks for that horrible mental image there, buddy."  
  
Tommy grinned good-naturedly. "Any time."  
  
Rocky picked up the velvet box and opened it again. "So when do you plan on popping the question?"  
  
Jason frowned. The perfect time would be tonight. Trini pretty much as the whole evening planned out for the two of them to be alone. He would love to be alone with her for just a little while. Ever since returning from Vegas, they've only been able to snatch a few moments of truly alone time that didn't involve work. He wanted to be with her, needed to be with her. He felt... incomplete without her now. Strange how such intensity of love could be created in so short a time. "Soon, Rocky. I'm going to ask her soon."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"We brought dinner," Tanya announced as she carried the big tin foil tray toward the back kitchen area.   
  
"Compliments of Trini." Aisha added as she followed with a peach cobber and a can of whip cream in case Jason didn't have any. "She had extra time while cooking what looks to be a very romantic meal for two." She leaned in and kissed Rocky gently on the cheek, surprising herself with the spontaneous action.   
  
Rocky grinned and pulled her toward him. "Hey, you're not supposed to kiss me like that anymore. I'm no longer your friend, remember?" His mouth sought hers out for a moment. "That's how a girl should greet her guy."  
  
"I totally agree." Kimberly nodded her head and swap at kiss with Tommy ask she hauled two liter soda bottles into the kitchen. "Couples should be affectionate."  
  
"And have great sex," Rocky added with a grin wolfish enough to make Aisha blush.   
  
"I'm going to throw up," Adam muttered as he shook his head. "Two days ago those two were trying to avoid each other at all cost."  
  
Tanya nodded her head. "And today it's like they're going to do a porn movie for us."   
  
"Hey!" Aisha and Rocky both protested.   
  
"When they're right..." Billy pointed out.  
  
Zack laughed. "They are definitely right."  
  
"Can't you people just be happy for us?" Aisha asked with a smile as she dropped herself into Rocky's lap.   
  
Tanya rolled her eyes. "After the whining, the crying..."  
  
Adam grinned, "The self torture, the deprecation..."  
  
Zack laughed. "I think you two have that whole happiness thing down packed now. You don't need us giving you all any more hand."  
  
Rocky snuggled her close. "Okay, then. We'll be happy all on our own. Hey, someone get Jason and let's eat."  
  
Aisha sighed. "It's so like him to think of his stomach first."  
  
"Well, we could gave sex first but then the food would get all cold." Rocky pointed in his usual guy logic and had Kimberly choking with laughter.   
  
"I'll go get Jason," Billy offered, more than just a little curious as to how Jaosn was going to get out this little "family" get together to be with his gal. Heading toward the stairs, he met Jason just as the man himself was coming down the stairs toward the kitchen with several tubs of blueprint in hand. "Hey, I was just coming to get you."  
  
"Oh, why?" Jason asked as he pushed the door open to the kitchen guys. "Hey, you all started without me?"  
  
"Billy was coming to get you." Adam answered eyeing the tubes with interest. "What's all that?"  
  
"Derek needed the sample blueprints for Monday morning conference with San Francisco. I was putting them together for him." He set the cardboard tubes on the ground and happened to glance out the window. "The gazebo is coming along nicely."  
  
"Yeah," Rocky nodded his head as he scooped pepping hot Shepard's Pie out. "Mr. Wilson said that it's only going to take a couple more days to finish it up with a sand down before the paint goes on. The Jacuzzi should be arriving on Monday for installation."  
  
"Sounds good," Jason studied the outbuilding for a moment. "I think I might have to plant some bushes or something around the edge. It looks kind of bare like that."  
  
Billy grinned and exchanged glances with Adam. "Come have some dinner."   
  
Jason looked back at him and smiled. He knew exactly what Billy was trying to do. Now, he wondered how Trini was going to get him out of...   
  
The sound of a ringing cell phone had everyone reaching for his or her respective purses and phones. "Whose is it?" Kimberly asked when she realized that the tone was not hers.   
  
"Not mine," Rocky said as he put his phone back into his pocket and resumed eating.   
  
"Me either," Tanya dropped her little black phone back into her purse.  
  
Tommy shook his head.  
  
Jason picked up his. "It's me." He glanced briefly at the ID, not one he recognized. Frowning, he punched the answer button. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, yourself. Don't talk yet." Trini said with a quick glance at her roast. "Just nod your head and make it look like you're listening real intently."  
  
"Okay," he nodded his head and happened to glance up in time to see Billy roll his eyes. "What do you want?"  
  
"You, here, now." She reached for her perfume bottle sitting on the counter. Dressing and cooking at the same time was not as easy a task as she thought. "Can you get away?"  
  
"Now?" He glanced the table of people, all half listening to his side of the conversation. "I'm not too sure..."  
  
"You're not really going to turn me down now, are you lover?" Trini grinned, knowing the position that she's just put him in.   
  
"No, I guess not." He sighed even as his heart gave a great big shout of joy. "I'll see you in ten minutes?"  
  
"Ten minutes it is." She grinned and clicked her phone off. She was so glad that she picked up the cell phone the other day after much urging from Kimberly.   
  
"Guys," Jason smiled rather pained, not from needing to leave but from having to skirt around the truth a little. He was certain that once the news got out, Tommy was likely to try to beat the shit out of him...again. "I hate to do this..."  
  
"Don't tell me," Adam guessed with a knowing grin. "You have to go."  
  
Jason looked at Adam, truly looked at him for a moment. There was something in the doctor's eyes that made Jason want to laugh. Okay, he knows. "Yeah."  
  
"Before dinner?" Rocky asked in horror while Aisha gave him a good frown. "Not that important is it?"  
  
Kimberly gave Rocky a funny look before turning to Jason. "Should I pack something for you?"  
  
"No, I'm going to stop by somewhere else and get dinner." Jason smiled and thanked Kim for her offer to pack him food.  
  
"Going to see your girl?" Tommy asked rather disgruntled that no matter how hard he has tried, so far he hasn't been able to wrestle a name out of Jason.   
  
"As a matter of fact..." Jason grinned and headed toward the back stairs. "I'm going to go grab my documents and head on out. Have fun with dinner, see you all later."  
  
"Have fun now," Billy called after him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 1, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Jason toyed with her hand as he finished up desert, a sweet concoction that he didn't particularly care what it was called. "That was wonderful, I don't think any of my former girlfriends ever cooked for me like that before." He kissed the delicate hand that somehow made the wonderful meal. "Thank you."  
  
Trini blushed. She wasn't sure what it was about the way he said it, or maybe it was the way he looked at her, that made her feel so.... Like a sixteen year old out on a date with the captain of the football team. "Your welcome."   
  
He liked that he was unsettling her with his gentleness, he liked being able to rattle her somewhat. "You're so beautiful, especially in candlelight."  
  
Glancing at the three uneven white candles that decorated the dinner table, she smiled. "I believe candlelight is a very....good illumination."  
  
"Makes for one hell of a romantic mood setter too." He kissed her hand again and pulled her toward him. Just having her hear him was a delight all in itself. "I brought a CD with me, I wanted to play you a song but I think I've just thought of a better one now."  
  
"Really?" She always did love his song selections. "What a coincidence. I was going to play something for you too."  
  
"Me first."  
  
She laughed. "What happened to ladies first?"  
  
He grinned widely. "Show me a lady." A punch in the shoulder sent him into a peal of laughter. "Okay, okay..."  
  
Trini shook her head and lead him into the living room and onto the now infamous couch. "You may go first."  
  
"Thank you." He went to the CD rack and search through it diligently. "I hope you have the one I want in ... ah, here it is."  
  
She glanced over, trying to see what he was putting into the stereo but couldn't get pass those broad shoulders. For a moment, she wondered how long it was going to take her to get him out of his dark blue button down shirt. Two minutes maybe if she took her time. Another two minutes to get rid of those wonderful Dockers. Less than a minute to rid him of the cumbersome boxers he insisted on wearing. She grinned to herself wondering what he would say once he got a load of the red lace she's got on under her dress.   
  
Jason was watched her with apprehension. "What is going through that devious mind of yours now, Counselor?"  
  
The smile bloomed on her face. "I was just wondering how wonderful you're going to look, not to mention feel, when you're wearing nothing else but me."  
  
Closing his eyes, he groaned. "How do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Make me want to forget about everything else other than taking you to bed."  
  
Laughing with delight, she pulled him onto the couch with her. "That's what I'm... What's this?" As the music began.  
  
He nuzzled her neck. "How I feel."  
  
Look into my eyes - you will see  
What you mean to me  
Search your heart - search your soul  
And when you find me there you'll search no more  
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for  
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for  
You know it's true  
Everything I do - I do it for you  
  
Look into my heart - you will find  
There's nothin' there to hide  
Take me as I am - take my life  
I would give it all I would sacrifice  
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for  
I can't help it there's nothin' I want more  
Ya know it's true  
Everything I do - I do it for you  
  
There's no love - like your love  
And no other - could give more love  
There's nowhere - unless you're there  
All the time - all the way  
  
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for  
I can't help it there's nothin' I want more  
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you  
Walk the wire for you - Ya I'd die for you  
  
Ya know it's true  
Everything I do - I do it for you  
  
She wanted to lap him up and gorge herself in him. Her heart felt as if it would burst from everything bit of wonder it felt. "God, I love you."  
  
"Trini..." He wanted to ask her, wanted to ask her now. "I..."  
  
"No," she shook her head and put her hand over his mouth. "Wait." She was having trouble breathing and she shut her eyes to concentrate for a moment on her happiness. If she had any doubts in her heart that she was doing the right thing, they were gone. "I want to play something for you."  
  
"Trini, I want to ask you something." Jason reached out for her but she struggled away, going for the CD player. He sighed, it can wait for now. But before the night was over, he will ask her. "What did you want to play me?"  
  
"A song." She said with misty eyes as she returned to the couch with remote in hand.  
  
"Thank you, smart ass." He took her hand. "What's the name of it?"  
  
"It's a pretty popular song. You probably know it well." She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. "It's called 'Said I Loved You... but I Lied.'"  
  
Jason jerked back as if slapped, his eyes going cold in a flash as he dropped her hand.   
  
Trini frowned, concerned. "What's wrong?"  
  
"What's wrong?" He could feel his heart racing at a speed that was no unnatural. "That's what you ask me when you've just.... How could you....." He didn't know what to say, didn't know how to react. He moved to get up, to get away but she won't let him.  
  
"What?" She could feel herself panic, she tried to push him back into a seated position. "Wait a minute."  
  
"I gotta get out of here." He tired to push her away, tried to keep his heart from shattering.  
  
"I said wait!" She tackled him, pinning him to the couch with her weight across his chest. She punched the song on with the remote still in her hand. "Listen."  
  
"Get off of..."  
  
"LISTEN!" she stared him. "Just listen."  
  
You are the candle, love's the flame   
A fire that burns through wind and rain   
Shine your light on this heart of mine   
Till the end of time   
You came to me like the dawn through the night   
Just shinin' like the sun   
Out of my dreams and into my life   
You are the one, you are the one   
  
Said I loved you but I lied   
'Cause this is more than love I feel inside   
Said I loved you but I was wrong   
'Cause love could never ever feel so strong   
Said I loved you but I lied   
  
With all my soul I've tried in vain   
How can mere words my heart explain   
This taste of heaven so deep so true   
I've found in you   
So many reasons in so many ways   
My life has just begun   
Need you forever, I need you to stay   
You are the one, you are the one   
  
Said I loved you but I lied   
'Cause this is more than love I feel inside   
Said I loved you but I was wrong   
'Cause love could never ever feel so strong   
Said I loved you but I lied   
  
You came to me like the dawn through the night   
Just shinin' like the sun   
Out of my dreams and into my life   
You are the one, you are the one   
  
Said I loved you but I lied   
'Cause this is more than love I feel inside   
Said I loved you but I was wrong   
'Cause love could never ever feel so strong   
Said I loved you but I lied   
  
Said I loved you   
But this is more than love I feel inside   
Said I loved you....But I lied  
  
If ever he felt like a bigger jerk, he couldn't for the life of him remember.   
  
Trini watched him wearily. "You've never heard of it, have you?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
She nodded hers and got off of him slowly. "Did you think I was going to take it back? Everything I ever said to you about love and..." She wasn't sure if it hurt more that he didn't believe in her love or that he didn't believe in them.  
  
"I'm sorry." He reached out, pulled her to him, feeling the tearing in his heart. She didn't resist. "I didn't... I was scared."  
  
"Of me?"  
  
"Yes," he shook his head and fought the tears in his own eyes knowing that his reaction hurt her very badly. "I don't think anything has made me more vulnerable than being in love with you. I basically handed you the key to breaking my heart and I was so afraid that you were going to use it."  
  
"It works both ways you know." She whispered, feeling herself cry. "I just wanted to show you that I loved you. That this was more than anything that I've..." She brushed the tears away. "You don't know how you make me feel. I feel so alive and so... invincible when I'm in your arms. But at the same time there is always this.... I don't know how to tell you that... you're everything."  
  
He kissed her; it was a desperate kiss that told of his pain. "I'm sorry. I didn't... it was a knee jerk reaction. I would never.... I would never purposely hurt you. You have to believe that. I just... I'm always scared that something I do may frighten you away from me. I don't know what I'd do without you in my life."  
  
She sniffed and nodded her head, knowing that they were both holding on to a fear that maybe that shouldn't be there at all. "I have something for you. Something that might solve all of our problems."  
  
"A noose to hang my fat head by?"  
  
She smiled, touching his beautiful face. "No." She got up and went to the closet and came back with a small silver box. "Have you ever read the book 'Dreamfall' by Joan D. Vinge when you were a teen?"  
  
"I don't believe I did." Jason answered glancing at the box.  
  
"Well, 'Dreamfall' is about a guy name Cat that gets tangled up in some pretty shady business to protect someone. During this case, he gets involved with a woman that give him a gift." She opened the silver box and pulled out a single hoop earring. "An earring of great value with an emerald attached to it." The earring in her hand looked exactly as she described. "A symbol of love."  
  
He stared at the semi-precious gem the size of a bead on the gold hoop. "It's beautiful."  
  
"I had it made yesterday when I thought of it." She smiled and motioned for him to remove the stud earring that he usually wore. "I wanted to give this to you, as a symbol of my devotion to us..."  
  
"Thank you," he reached for the earring but she pulled away, moving to put it on him herself.  
  
"...when I ask you to marry me." She finished, letting the earring slide into place.  
  
Jason's hand shot up, grabbing her wrist. He turned eyes that were wide with stun disbelief toward her. His heart seemed to have stopped beating and his lungs held still, he did not want to break this moment in time. The words rang in his mind, not sure if he should believe it or not. What are the chances of...  
  
"Jason? You're scaring me again."   
  
"I'm sorry," he said automatically. "I didn't.... Did I hear you right? Did you just ask me to..."  
  
"Marry me." She asked simply. Trini held her breath, not sure what this reaction was. If he says no, I will just die, simply lay down and die.  
  
He didn't answer her. Instead, he picked her up effortlessly into his arms and headed toward the stairs with sure quick steps. "How about instead of answering, we practice on the honeymooning part?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Hey, has anyone seen Jason?"  



	40. Caught

New Start 2  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To the wonderful ladies that obviously love romance as much as I do. This one is for Morgan, Priscilla, Jessi, Lorilei, and Hannah. We need more people like your guys around. Thank you for always encouraging me.   
  
Note: Sorry for the delay guys. Life got in the way.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Forty  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 2, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Okay, time to get serious here." Tommy said as he leaned back against the headboard of his bed. It was nice having been able to spend the night with her wrapped in his arm. Granted, it was rather strange to not be able to make love to her last night, but he was afraid that the noise might just disturb the others.   
  
"About what?" Kimberly snuggled in closer, her body still warm from having spend the night against her lover's larger frame. She could seriously get use to this kind of thing in the morning, no more having to freeze her ass off when she gets out of bed. It still amazed her after an entire month in New Jersey that it could get so hot and so cold in the same state in the same place. A month? Is that all that's been so far? My, how the time flies.  
  
"About this whole thing." He waved an arm around to incubus the general idea. "Trini never called last night, which means her guys stayed over. Jason hadn't come home we went came to bed, and that was around midnight. Billy is heading off to Australia to be with my ex-girlfriend. Aisha and Tanya are getting ready to take off again, leaving Rocky here to pout just as he got things straightened out with Aisha. Zack is going back to LA for the rehearsals and...."  
  
"What exactly is the problem here, Tommy?"  
  
"Move in with me."  
  
Kimberly blinked. The sudden change in the top of conversation was just a little too startling for her. "What did you say?"  
  
"Move in with me." He pulled her tighter against him, as if it would convince her that it was the right decision. "Let me be with you all the time."  
  
She wasn't sure if it was the strength of his hold or the declaration that had her head spinning. She really hate it when he just decides to do circles around her linear thought patterns. "Wait a minute, wait a minute..."  
  
"Just say yes."  
  
"And if I don't?"  
  
"Then marry me."  
  
If her mouth could have dropped any lower, it probably would have. She blinked hoping that this was either all a dream or all a nightmare. It was definitely time for her to tell him that he was not allow to try to wrap her around his little pinky. "Let me get this straight..."  
  
"Go ahead," being the ever-patient boyfriend.   
  
"You want me to move in with you..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But if I don't, you want me to marry you instead so that I'd have to move in with you anyways."  
  
"Yes."  
  
She whacked him hard in the arm. "What the hell kind of logic is that?!?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Clearly befuddled by now.  
  
"You're whole point was to get me to move in with you, right?" Kimberly asked patiently, her head hurting from all the thinking it has to do so early in the morning. She really had hoped for a nice, quiet Sunday morning in bed with her boyfriend. Not this little.... Whatever this is!  
  
"Yes," he scratched his head and stretched out his toes. "That's right."  
  
"Then why the marriage thing?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, why the extreme alternative?" She reached up and caressed his cheek before settle down in bed again. "If you wanted me to move in here...."  
  
"I don't."  
  
She blinked. She wanted to scream. She wanted to throw something out the window. Nothing was making any sense. Maybe she should just have sex with him just to shut him up before he gave her a genuine headache, at which point she would have to kill him instead. "Then why did you..."  
  
"Not in here, heck no, not in here." He shook his head. "I would never subject you to Rocky's bad cooking, Adam's crazy hours and Jason's insane phone calls at three in the morning with one of his contractors." His hand curved around her spine, feeling the warmth of her skin against his. God, she's beautiful. "I was thinking of the little white house by the park, with the green roof and pink trimmings."  
  
Narrowing her eyes, she tired to envision the place he was describing. It wasn't really that hard; they passed it several times during their moonlit strolls in the neighborhood. "With the tire swing on at the side on the apple tree?"  
  
"Yeah, that would be the one." He grinned, glad that she liked it enough to remember it. It was very important for him to have her like the house; after all, it could be the selling point for the whole deal here. "Did you know it was up for sale?"  
  
"Yes," she smiled rather fondly at him. "I saw the sign. But I always saw the sign the other day saying that it's been sold. Looks like you're a little too late."  
  
Tommy nodded his head wisely. "And if I had bought the house, would you have moved in there with me?"  
  
Kimberly yawned, her head flopping back onto his chest. The warmth of the bed was making her sleepy again. "Yeah, I love that house. It's just the kind of place I could see myself in."  
  
Definitely a positive sign. "Is that a yes?"  
  
"Yes, I would have moved in there with you, even without the marriage."  
  
"Why without?"  
  
She grinned, nibbling on the muscles just over his heart. "Cause I don't think either of us is ready for marriage yet. I think we are both at a point in our lives that we just want to enjoy each other's company, not to mention bodies."  
  
He nodded. "You're very wise."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"And so am I."  
  
"Why is that?" She laughed.  
  
"I bought the house."  
  
She stared at him stupefied. She was sure she heard wrong, she was sure of it. "You did what?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Hey, has anyone seen Jason?" Rocky asked as he sat down at the breakfast table and took the box of cereal from Zack.  
  
"No, man. He didn't come home last night, did he?" Zack answered with a grin.   
  
"Not unless he made his bed the exact same way it was last night." Rocky grinned and dumped milk in. "I hope he had a good time cause I'm going to be grilling him until he drops."  
  
"Aisha leave last night?" Billy asked as he sipped the coffee he made easier with distaste. "Why is it that Trini's coffee always tastes better?"  
  
"No, Aisha stayed with me last night," Rocky answered through a mouth full of food. "And anything Trini makes always tastes better."  
  
Billy sighed. "So, Trini didn't call last night to let the girls go home?"  
  
"Even if she did, Aisha would have still stayed with me last night." Rocky grinned.   
  
Zack and Billy exchanged rolling eyes as Adam made his way into the kitchen. "Ah... My first free day in weeks."  
  
"Enjoying yourself, Bro?" Rocky asked.  
  
"Absolutely," Adam sat down and poured coffee. "And I know exactly how I want to spend it."  
  
Tanya came in with her eyes still misty from sleep. "With your best friends in the world at the amusement park?" She asked as she grabbed the ready made coffee from Adam's hand just as the young doctor was getting ready to take his first sip. "Come on, I really want to go."  
  
Adam made a face as he poured himself another cup. "I lost enough money at that place last time we went, I don't need a repeat performance, thank you very much. Besides which, I have a much better plan for the day."  
  
"Oh?" Billy lowered the newspaper he had been scanning. "And what would that be?"  
  
"Crashing Trini's little party with her boytoy."  
  
"You think that's wise?" Rocky asked as he finished his breakfast. "I seem to recall you taking a pretty bad beating from Trini when we were all sparing, and that was with her holding back."  
  
"Your point is?"  
  
Rocky shook his head. "It's your funeral, man. Don't say that I didn't warn you."  
  
"Warn him about what?" Kimberly asked as she and Tommy came in.  
  
"Good morning," Rocky grinned. "You two have fun last night?"  
  
"Absolutely." Tommy replied, happy with the world in general. The sun was shining... well, kind of. The sky was...gray. And he had all, well almost all, his best friends surrounding him. What more could a guy ask for?  
  
"Okay," Tanya sat back in her chair to survey her friends. "Tommy, you look like the cat that just got his paws on a nest of canaries, what's up to put that stupid grin on your face?"  
  
Kimberly shook her head and opened the refrigerator door. "Tommy went and spent too much money."  
  
"But I got what I wanted, that's the important thing, Beautiful." Tommy replied as he poured coffee. "No Jason?"  
  
"Did you expect any less?" Adam asked with a quick grin. "I'm going to go crash Trini's party with her boyfriend. Want to come?"  
  
"Absolutely," Tommy grinned. "Now if we can only figure out where Jason is."  
  
"Call his cell," Kimberly answered putting an apple and several oranges on the table. "It is the easy way to do things."  
  
"Nobody keeps their cell on when they have their girl with them." Rocky stated simply. "That's like asking for trouble."  
  
Aisha wanted to know more urgently as she was listening in as she came into the kitchen. "What did Tommy spend so much money on?"  
  
Kimberly made a face. "A house."  
  
"Whoa," Tanya choked on her juice. "Really now?"  
  
"Yes," Tommy said positively glowing with happiness.  
  
"Can I ask why?" Zack looked puzzled.  
  
"Cause I want time with Kim." Tommy answered and pointed at Adam. "And he was right, privacy is definitely high on my list of needs."  
  
"So you bought a house?" Aisha asked completely stunned then her brows cleared. "Oh, she's moving in with you."  
  
"Yeah," Tommy was nodding his head so vigorous that Adam was afraid that the guy was going to hug himself. "It's going to be great. Kim even offered to decorate the house."  
  
Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Let to his own device, he would have only a bed for sex and refrigerator for leftover pizza in there."  
  
"Hey, the bed is not necessary for the sex part."  
  
The girls rolled their eyes simultaneously. "Men!"  
  
Adam grinned, completely amused by this turn of events. "Okay, so breakfast then Trini's?"  
  
"Yeah, okay."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
The first thing that Trini realized as she came awake was that Jason was playing with her fingers again. He seemed to have gotten into a strange habit of doing so lately. Like at this moment, he appeared to be counting her fingers out loud. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing much," he answered then turned his head to nuzzle her. "I love your hands, have I ever told you that?"  
  
"No, I don't believe you...." She opened her eyes and stared at the hand that Jason was currently holding and counting on. On her fourth finger, the ring finger of her left hand, sat a, what could only be described as marble size, diamond set in platinum gold. "What the hell?!?"  
  
"You don't like it?" Jason asked mildly, looking at the gem as it sat on the hand of the woman he loved, winking with the morning light. It didn't matter what the ring looked like anymore, he could laugh at himself for worrying over such a trivial little thing as a ring the night before. At the rate I was going last night, I'm lucky that she didn't drop kick my ass to the curb. "I guess I could take a back. I don't think they're going to be too happy about that cause it is a very expensive and may I add a very pretty ring but I'm sure I'll be able to purchase something to satisfy both you and the jeweler."  
  
She continued to stare at it. "Oh my god!"  
  
"Is it too heavy?" He asked, genuinely concerned now. She had rather delicate fragile looking long fingers that were so gracefully beautiful as they were deadly when used in combat. But somehow or other, he seemed to have forgotten how small they were. The rock may truly be too heavy a burden on her hand. "I don't want you to be hurt by it."  
  
"Don't be an idiot." She snapped at him as she ran her right hand through her hair, still staring at the magnificent piece of craftsmanship on her hand. "And please, be serious for a moment here."  
  
"I am," he protested. "Is it too heavy?"  
  
"No," she said with a sigh. There were times when she wondered when people are going to stop treating her as if she was made of porcelain. Yes she was petite but she was not so delicate as to fall apart when touched. "How did you... When? When did you have time to..."  
  
"I bought it last week. Had it cleaned and resized for your finger, I'm so glad you're still a size 5 finger. It would be terrible if I had the thing resized then find out that you're ring size had changed." He was playing with her fingers again. She had thin fingers, not bony, just thin and fine with nails that never seem to need cutting or cleaning. They were painted at the moment coral pink with just a touch of white at the tips. He seemed to have recalled her saying something about having her nails done to appear in court. Something about appearances being the key. Now with the ring there, gracing her hand with a touch of elegance, he really couldn't imagine a more perfect image of feminine beauty. It really did look wonderful on her. My ring on her finger.  
  
"How did you even know that I wore a size five?" She asked, completely baffled by that little bit of information. It sometimes amazed her how much of her life he seem to have committed to memory. "I don't even know that I wear a size 5 ring." Heck, I hardly even remember what size clothes I wear. Whatever fits, fits.   
  
Jason scratched his head and grinned at her. "Well, remember high school graduation?"  
  
"I didn't go to our graduation. I was in Holland at the time, remember?"   
  
"Yeah, I remember." He nodded his head and glanced briefly at the clock. It was almost ten o'clock, the latest he's ever spent in bed unless illness kept him there. He snuggled her closer. Then again, if you had a warm wonderful body next to you in bed, you won't want to leave it anytime soon either. "You e-mailed me and asked me to order your cap and gown for you? Remember?"  
  
"Yeah. And?"  
  
"And you said that you wanted a class ring to remember Angel Grove High by, so you sent me the form and had me do it for you, remember that?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" She laughed recalling the dozen or so e-mails that needed to be passed between them trying to figure out how they were going to size the ring since she couldn't go there in person to have the jeweler size it for her. "I completely forgot about that thing."  
  
"Where is your graduation right, anyways?" He asked, linking his fingers with hers. Her tiny one fitting perfectly within his big palmed hands.   
  
"In my safety deposit box." She replied and wrapped one arm around his neck. "I keep all my important stuff there."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"My graduation ring from high school, college, and graduate school. All my diplomas and State Bar certifications are in there as well. The deed to my condo and car..." She sat up suddenly. "Oh my god!" Her head suddenly swimming from sitting up too fast. "Oh...." She grabbed her head and leaned back down against her lover/fiancé. "Stupid move there."  
  
"What's wrong?" He pulled her tight against him, not at all liking the pallor of her complexion. Her health has become a real issue as of late. "What did your doctor say again?"  
  
"Relax," she smiled and forced herself not to be concerned over these increasingly frequent weakened moments. "She says that I'm in perfect health as far as she could tell. I just got lightheaded when I moved too quick."  
  
"You're a martial artist, moving fast is what we do." He smoothed his hand over her face. "I want a second opinion."   
  
Kissing his frowning mouth, she sighed. "Not married yet and already he thinks he can tell me what to do."  
  
"I'm serious here, Trini. I'm worry about you."   
  
"And I love you for that." She smiled and touched one hand to his cheek, giving him a bit of the love that she could feel from him. "But you needn't worry so. I'll tell you when the blood works comeback. And before you ask, it's just routine stuff so don't jump off on some tangent here. If it doesn't confirm my guess that I have a small bug, then I'll go to another doctor for a second opinion, okay?"  
  
He wanted her to go to the hospital, to get an all clear from the doctors and... He was doing it again. The last thing she needed was someone to smoother her with concern. She was so much stronger than anyone, even himself, can see. "All right. I guess I'll have to live with that."  
  
"Not that you have much choice," she grinned and took a nip at his chin with her little white teeth. "So, how does waffles with thick sweet cream and strawberry preserves sound to you?"  
  
"Breakfast?"  
  
"We better do so soon," she glanced at the clock by the bed. "Or it's going to be lunch and the gang will be knocking down the door. In fact, I'm kind of surprised that no one has called either one of us yet."  
  
"Don't jinx it." He grinned and leaned back in bed as she crawled slowly out of bed and pulled on the pale yellow robe at the boot of the bed. "Can I use the shower?"  
  
"Absolutely," she kissed him and dug under the bed for her slippers. "I'll get breakfast started while you shower. Be careful when you come downstairs. We had to move the couch to allow for two sleeping bags on the ground so that Tanya Aisha didn't have to crash in the guest room together."  
  
Jason gave her a confused look. "I thought the couch was a pull out. Why didn't they just...."  
  
"Cause Kim and Tommy had sex on it."  
  
He choked down his laughter. "Okay."  
  
Trini sat there a moment longer and watched as Jason went into the showers with nothing at all. Oh geeze, the boy has a body of a Greek God. She shook her head and reprimanded herself for drooling over her lover's magnificent body. Then she grinned. And why not? He is my fiancé now. Fiancé! She could hardly believe it but glancing at the rock on her hand, she felt almost lightheaded with giddiness.   
  
Getting up, she was almost to the closet to get clothes to cook in when she glanced down and saw the dark blue button down that Jason had been wearing the night before. With a smirk, she shrug on the garment. If he wants it back, he'll simply have to take it from me. With that, she headed downstairs to make breakfast.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Does it seem a little too quiet?" Tommy asked as Kimberly pushed the front door open. He still had some misgivings about ambushing Trini and her boyfriend in that manner. Trini was too good a kicking ass.  
  
"It's only ten-thirty." Adam said. "Maybe they're still asleep?" He traded looks with Billy. He truly badly wanted his suspicions confirmed. There was nothing like a good mystery to drive a sane man to the end of his ropes. Besides which, those two have been keeping one too many secrets from everyone lately.  
  
"Trini is no late sleeper no matter how late she stays up the night before." Kimberly said as she sighed and glanced about the room. Nothing looked out of place really. Well, except for a few gutted white candles on the glass coffee table.   
  
"Yeah, maybe they went out." Tanya offered as she came in after Adam and Billy, who was wearing the strangest look on his face. Then she happened to look down at a pair of rather fine, expensive pair of men's shoes. "Or maybe not."  
  
Rocky sniff the air. "Hey, I smell waffles." He took another step into the room and ran smack into the corner of the badly placed couch. "Ouch!" His big toe was positively on fire.   
  
Aisha shook her head and went to stop her boyfriend from further hurting himself as he hopping around the room squeezing his injured foot.  
  
"Hey Honey," Trini's voice floated out from the kitchen. There was a hint of laughter in her tone. "Didn't I warn about the couch? Be careful, I like your feet the way it is now. Oh by the way, I ran out of strawberry preserves, used the last of it on the cheesecake Rocky liked so much. I'll have to remember to buy some more. Do you mind having blueberries inst...." She came to a dead stop as she stepped into her now silent but crowded living room.   
  
"Good morning," Adam greeted, his grin just a little too smug.   
  
Trini bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming out loud. Just one peaceful morning with my boyfriend, is that really too much to ask? Instinctively, she slipped her left in slightly behind her, glad that Jason's shirt had long sleeves that went well beyond her hands. "Hi, what are you all doing here?" She sounded just a little too damn chirpy even to her own ears.  
  
Adam grinned. "We thought we would check up on you and see if everything was okay." He could see that she was squirming somewhat. If he hadn't missed his guess, her little 'friend' was just upstairs.   
  
"Hey, is he here?" Tanya asked, in a loud whisper, as if everyone in the room couldn't hear.   
  
Trini smiled painfully. "Is who here?"  
  
"Come on, Trini." Rocky glanced at the stairwell. "If you're afraid of him, we can take care of that. If you're afraid for him, we won't do anything without your say so first. Honest!"   
  
"Rocky, you're not helping." Aisha batted him lightly on the arm. "Trini, if you want us gone, just say the word."  
  
"I'm not leaving until we get a glimpse of him." Kimberly said firmly. She was dying of curiosity and concern. Trini wasn't acting her usual self. Usually, if she didn't want them meeting this guy, she would be kicking them all out by now.   
  
"Don't let them bully you, Trini." Tommy frowned, not quite sure if he was doing the right thing. A part of him was concerned for Trini. But no one was more capable of taking care of himself or herself than Trini. Then again, she was a friend and shouldn't one always watch out for friends? "We're not trying to be nosy..."  
  
"Yes we are," Rocky nodded his head enthusiastically.   
  
Tommy frowned at him. "But we're concerned."  
  
"Thank you for that." Trini forced herself to stay calm. Knowing that Jason was likely to walk down the stairs anytime now into this rather chaotic scene didn't really help her already jumpy stomach. "But I think..." She happened to glance at Billy at that exact moment. "You're just loving this, aren't you?"  
  
Billy reframed from laughing out loud but he was certainly unable to keep the smirk off his face. "You have admit, it is rather amusing to be see you caught in your own little web here."  
  
"Shut up, Billy." She sighed and rolled her eyes. He was right. If she wasn't feeling so damn uncomfortable over the potential reaction she was likely to get, she would be rather amused by all this. "You're certainly not helping."  
  
"Hey, I said I would keep my mouth shut. I didn't say anything about helping out." Billy pointed out logically.   
  
Trini resisted the urge to kick something. "Okay guy. I much as I appreciate your concern and all... Why are you looking at me like that, Tommy?"   
  
The others turned to see that Tommy was indeed staring at Trini a little funny. His eyes reflected, first suspicion, then surprise, and lastly horror. "Oh my god..."  
  
Kimberly tilted her head as she turned to study her friend. Something about the attire clicked. "Trini, that shirt you're wearing. Have I seen it before?"  
  
She winced. Damn.  
  
"Tommy, you okay?" Rocky asked with some serious concern as their former leader continue to stare at Trini as if she had grown another head.   
  
It took a moment but Tommy pulled himself together. "Kim, you've definitely seen that shirt before."  
  
"Really?" she went back to study the shirt. "I thought it looks familiar but I can't place it."  
  
"In fact," Tommy was frowning now, not quite believing that he had been so stupid. "You saw last night."  
  
"Last night?" Tanya asked with create disbelief. "We were gone before..."  
  
"Hey Angel," the rich baritone voice from the top of the stairs was followed by rather light steps. "Have you seen my shirt? I can't find it anywhere in your room. I could have swore that I took it off there last n..." Jason jerked back as if he had just run headlong into a brick wall. His eyes went wide with surprise than he winced painfully. "Damn."  
  
Billy bit down on his lip as the other stared at Jason. "Good morning, Jason."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "I'm not exactly dressed underneath it."  
  



	41. Interrogation

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: For Tammy the Tiger, who loved Trini and Jason ever bit as much as I do. And for The Girl in the Red Jacket, who inspired the Trini/Jason fan fiction craze that I'm now entrenched it. Thanks guys!  
  
Note: Heading into the home stretch! Aren't you happy?!?   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Forty-One  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Trini twisted her hands together under the cover of the long sleeves. "Uh, Jason?" She waited until her lover looked at her under the stunned eyes of their mutual friends. "We have company."  
  
Jason wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt like grinning like a fool. If he thought dropping the bomb about his engagement was going to be interesting, the looks on his friends' faces now was proving that it was going to be much more than that. "Thanks for the warning, darling."  
  
She nodded her head and turned about to go back into the kitchen.   
  
"Huh, Trini?"  
  
"Yes?" She winced and turned about again.  
  
"My shirt?" he pointed to the button down she was wearing.   
  
She didn't want to say it. And wondered briefly at the reaction it was going to get. Oh what the hell. It can't make the situation any worse. Besides which, time for Jason to squirm a little. "I'm not exactly dressed underneath it."  
  
Jason raised one brow, ignoring the suddenly swinging of heads toward his girl... his fiancée. "Exactly what are you wearing underneath?"  
  
She grinned suddenly and brilliantly. "Nothing at all." Then headed back into the kitchen before her waffles burned.   
  
Jason bit down on his tongue to keep it from falling out of his mouth. When that didn't work to convince himself that he wasn't going to drool, he ran a quick hand over his face with a sigh. That woman is going to drive me to an asylum. Turning back to his gap mouth friends, he held up a hand to forestall any questions just yet. "I need to be completely dressed for this. And since there is nothing in this house that can possibly fit me properly, I need to get my shirt back from Trini. If you'll just sit down and be patient, we'll answer any questions you have to your satisfaction. Okay?" When on one answered, he took it as an agreement to the proposed plans. "Okay then. Excuse me." Then headed for the kitchen.  
  
Adam was feeling somewhat content with life now that his curiosity was satisfied. Now comes the fun part, asking all the detailed questions to the relationship. He really should have seen this coming, between Trini's mystery man and Jason's usual reaction to her, it was rather disconcerting to have had the wool pulled over his eyes for so long.   
  
Rocky sat down on the couch a moment before remembering the probable reason it was move and jumped up immediately. "Yuck." The scratched his head in confusion. Trini and Jason? Now that was a surprise, though in retrospect, they were very well matched. Both were intelligent people with a passion for their work. They were kind, generous, a pain the in butt when I came to keeping secrets and both had a surprising amount of strength to overcome difficulties. Plus they were both original rangers.  
  
Aisha and Tanya leaned against the back of the loveseat and traded rather embarrassed and amused glances. This little turn of event was certainly interesting. Neither one had ever really thought of the kind of men Trini really went out with. From the massive amounts of stories Kimberly passed along, they had expected.... Well, the variety in the past certainly made the possibilities endless. But Jason? Now that was an interesting pair. Who would have guess that the two most sensible people ever to don the uniform of the Power Rangers would have.... Well, then again....  
  
"Hey!" Trini's sounded rather indigent from the kitchen and two seconds later, Jason came out carrying the protesting woman in his arms. "Jason, the waffles!"  
  
"I turned off the stove already. We need to get dressed since, as you said before, we have company." He said rather calmly as he made his way toward he staircase, ignoring everyone else in the room. "I don't plan on having this meeting bare-chested and half naked."  
  
"I don't mind," she replied glancing over his shoulder at the scowling Tommy. "Then again...."  
  
"Let's get dressed and get this over with." Jason said making his way up the stairs.   
  
Billy crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. As amused as he was by all this, he had a feeling that this was going to be a rather interesting conversation. While Rocky, Adam, Tanya and Aisha were taking it all rather in stride. Zack was still sitting there stunned to silence. Tommy looked ready to bash Jason's head inward for the half-truths he's been telling and Kimberly.... Hum.... Kimberly looked rather happy.  
  
"How long do you think it'll take them?" Rocky asked to break the silence.  
  
"Unless Jason forgets himself," Aisha answered mildly. "I'd say about three to five minutes. Trini is a fast dresser."  
  
"I'd give them five." Tanya predicted with certainty. "Trini did not look like a happy girl there."  
  
"No she didn't," Adam laughed. "This is going to be fun."  
  
"What's going to be fun?" Trini asked from the foot of the stairs wearing a simple tan color tank top, lounge pants and the pale robe again.   
  
"This next part coming up." Adam grinned at her, happy as a clam.   
  
"They're going to torture us." Jason whispered loudly into her ear as he came down as well, fully dressed this time. Taking her hand, he pulled her toward the sofa, not caring that his best friend had sex on it not too long ago. Heck, he had sex on the thing not too long ago as well. "Let the interrogation begin."  
  
The others took positions around the room facing the couple that sat calmly on the sofa. Trini's hands were in Jason's lap, her left hand fingers intertwined with his right hand ones, with his on top. Getting through this was going to be interesting enough; throwing in their engagement was going to make it harder to deal with.   
  
There was silence.  
  
"Okay," Rocky sighed. "Let me start. Why?"  
  
"Why not?" Trini answered sweetly.  
  
"Why what?" Jason asked at the exact same moment. "The relationship?"  
  
"No, no," Rocky waved it away. "We all know why the relationship. Why the secret?"  
  
Trini snorted, knowing that one was coming. "Can you really image Jason or me in a no-strings-attached sex affair? I mean just look at..."  
  
"WHAT?" Tanya and Aisha both stood up at the same time. Aisha wiggled a finger at Jason. "You! Explain!"  
  
Jason looked somewhat startled. "What..."  
  
"What does she mean no-strings-attached?" Aisha was practically yelling. She recalled the conversation not too long ago. Damn it, Trini is in love. How could this.... Damn it! "If you're trifling with her affections buster, I'm so going..."  
  
"Objection, your honor! Aisha, sit down." Trini said calmly. "Please let me finish."  
  
Tanya put a restraining hand on Aisha's arm and pulled the girl back against the loveseat and then pushed her into her lover's arms. Rocky wrapped his arm around her, keeping Aisha's arms clipped to her side, for everyone's safety. There was nothing like the fury of a woman defending a fellow sister. There was no way in hell Rocky was going to let Aisha loose on Jason, or himself for that matters.  
  
"Okay now?" Trini asked still keeping the smile on her face. "What I was saying was that Jason and I aren't exactly the most likely candidates to be having any kind of affairs. The sex was kind of what started all this."  
  
Jason nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she showed up at my door. Brought me cake, I think that's what did it. And somehow or other, we ended up hitting the sheets."  
  
"Somehow?" Trini grinned at him, her eyes bright with mischief. "I recall a massage involved."  
  
Rocky blinked. "Is that why.... Oh!"  
  
"Yeah, the massage was definitely a point to have pushed that little heated moment along its path." Jason clucked. "It was never supposed to be anything serious. Kind of a one night deal."  
  
She sighed. "I wanted no relationship since my track record wasn't too great on that end. But a girl has needs and ..."  
  
"So you guys decided to have hot wild monkey sex for a night." Zack asked, still completely stunned. My best friends in the world, tearing up the sheets like.... Okay, bad visual place.   
  
Trini and Jason frowned frown at him. "To put it crudely, yes. Except for that part about it being simply for a night wasn't what really happened."  
  
"Excuse me," Tommy interjected through tightly clinched teeth. "The secret part, please?"  
  
"Oh that...." Trini sighed. "Didn't want anyone to know."  
  
"Why?" Kimberly asked, a little surprised at herself. She was taking it rather well considering she's been kept in the dark for so long. But given that she went from thinking that Trini was in another relationship with a psycho to her being in love with Jason... Geeze, my two good friends are in love and.... Hum... I wonder how Jason feels about this whole thing. "Why would you..."  
  
"Let me ask you something, Kim. When you came here and there was all that hoopla about you and Tommy's rather unresolved relationship, what would you have done if I had told you then that I was having an affair with one of your oldest friends?"  
  
"I'd jump for joy!" Kimberly answered honestly.  
  
"Exactly." Trini nodded knowingly. "And I wanted nothing but mindless sex. You would have made big deal out of it and I would have back paddled so fast that it would have made Jason's head spin."  
  
"I thought you wanted to you keep it quiet cause it was no one else's business?" Jason asked caressing her hand completely understanding her feelings on that front.  
  
"It wasn't. And yes, that was one of the reasons." Trini leaned her head against his, fitting into the contours of his body in a very subtle natural way that the others never noticed before.   
  
"Back to the sex," Rocky asked. "The hot wild monkey sex..."  
  
"Rocky!" Aisha smacked him hard on the arm.   
  
"What?" He looked at her befuddled. "I wanted to know if they had sex in my room."  
  
"No," Trini shook her head with exasperation over Rocky's tactlessness. "My room, his room, the two living rooms, yes. Your room, no."  
  
"The Gazebo." Jason pointed. "And my bathroom too."   
  
"Hotel rooms in Denver and Vegas."  
  
Jason grinned. "Vegas was definitely my favorite."  
  
"Why?" Adam asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. This was turning out to be more informative then he expected.   
  
Trini snorted. "Cause Jason decided that he no longer wanted to have the affair then."  
  
Kimberly's face fell. "He broke up with you?" She turned and smack Tommy on the arm very much the same way Aisha had done so with Rocky not moments before. "I thought I told you to tell Jason to..." She frowned then sighed. "Oh for heaven sakes, you two were.... Well damn it, this is confusing."  
  
"Take a deep breath, pal," Trini advised with much sympathy. "Filter everything out from before and inject Jason's face and personality into it."  
  
"He wanted more." Kimberly remembered. "You said that that your lover wanted more than what you were willing to give at the time."  
  
"Yeah," she nodded. "Jason had decided that the sex wasn't enough anymore." She turned and pressed her lips against his for a moment. "He decided, by himself by the way, that he was going to end our affair and friendship in one good hot bout of sex."  
  
"It always comes back to that the sex." Zack shook his head in mock sadness. "And here all this time I thought you were the good ones in this little motley crew."  
  
"There's good," Jason pointed out with a wicked grin. "And then there's good."  
  
"Okay that's just damn disturbing." Rocky shook his head and sighed. "So, you guys decided that you were going to have a relationship, why didn't you tell us then?"  
  
"Yeah," Tommy crossed his arm over his chest. "Why didn't you?" He was more than just a little peeved, not that he was sure who he was more angry at, himself for not seeing this, or them for keeping the damn secret.   
  
Jason sighed. He had a feeling that it was going to take a while before Tommy forgave him for keeping such a huge secret. "Well, it seemed kind... silly at that point. Plus there was the issue of Trini's fears I had to deal with."  
  
Trini nodded. "I was back paddling and doing so fast. Jason basically tore a non-written agreement between us in half and I was reeling."  
  
"I was in love and didn't want it a secret between us." Jason kissed her hand through the sleeves, careful not to show the ring. "Trini needed to know that I was in it for keeps but I knew how she felt about getting into a serious relationship. Telling her that I wanted more than just the sex from her had the potential result of having her basically cutting me off permanently. The last thing I was worried about at that point was your reactions to us having gone to bed together."  
  
Billy watched Jason with appreciative eyes. He understood the fears that the former leader had to face to profess himself. There was definitely a chance that Trini would have completely rejected his offer of love and devotion and pulled completely away, with Jason losing both his heart and a long-term friendship in the process. "So Trini, what was your reaction?"  
  
The first yellow ranger smiled rather weakly. "I was terrified. I didn't want to go through another nightmarish relationship as I have done so in the past but..."  
  
"You were in love." Kimberly finished for her, her eyes reflecting her understanding of pain love can cause in one's life. People do amazingly brave or stupid things when they are in love and want nothing but the best for their beloved. "You love him so you took a chance."  
  
"Yeah," she smiled. "I didn't know that I loved him, it never really occur to me that I could love him. It was just... I was just so happy when I was with him that I didn't want to think of anything that may come along to destroy that happiness. And when he said that he loved me... I wanted to cry cause it changed everything between us. Opened up a lot of old wounds and fears." She turned to look at Jason. "But as he pointed out, I knew him. We were friends first and I knew that he won't... he won't hurt me for any reason."  
  
"So you gave it a chance to grow." Adam concluded. "Took guts."  
  
"Like you won't believe."   
  
Tommy nodded, understanding some of it. "But why didn't you tell us afterward that."  
  
"After we decided to give a relationship a try?" Jason asked. "Kind of the same reason you decided to keep your search for a house a secret from Kimberly."  
  
"Excuse me?" Kimberly asked. "How did you know he bought a house? I just found out this morning."  
  
Tommy cringed as if stabbed with a long needle. "Urg, Beautiful..."  
  
"He told me and I got him in touch with my realtor and contract designers." Jason answer, yet to sense that he just landed his best friend into hot waters. Trini, on the other hand, could see that this was going to be a very interesting development.  
  
"You failed to mention to me that you wanted to move in together?" Kimberly demanded, her earlier delight in his initiative gone now "You went and discussed OUR future with your friends before you talk to ME about it?"  
  
"I didn't want to put it out there until I was sure I can get the house." He explained, cringing at the blaze in his lover's eyes. "I just wanted everything to be perfect first."  
  
"Which is what we wanted," Trini explained, taking pity suddenly for the hapless Tommy. She knew that while Kimberly had her doubts about the speed in which the relationship was moving, she loved Tommy enough to know that they were going to work whatever that is thrown their way out. "Either of us wanted to risk exposing ourselves to the criticisms of friend until we were sure there was something solid there. I mean other than Billy, I doubt anyone of your every thought that there was a chance that Jason and I would ever be compatible."  
  
"Please all the excitement about sneaking around made for great sex." Jason grinned.  
  
Aisha made a face. "Why is it that men can only think of sex?"  
  
"It's in their genes," Kimberly explained while still holding on her scowl. "They can't help having minds that all eventually lead down between their legs."  
  
"Ouch," Billy winced as if in actual pain. "Easy there, Kim. You're showing too much claw now."  
  
She said nothing, miffed that her lover would keep something this important from her. "Tommy, maybe we should rethink this idea of moving in together."  
  
"Now, Kimmy," Jason shook his head. "You know you want to. And you know that you're only doubting it cause you found out that he talked to me first about it."  
  
"So?" She replied.  
  
"Anger is no reason to throw a wrench in your relationship." Jason sighed and leaned over to kiss Trini's temple. "Look you guys know that we're together, can't we just leave it at that for now?"  
  
"Oh my god," Tanya sat up suddenly remembering a conversation not too long. "Were you going to..." She clamped her mouth shut now, not wanting to give anything away just yet.  
  
"Going to what?" Jason asked, curious if it was the proposal that Tanya was referring to, or another secret that Trini may be keeping from him.   
  
"Relax," she waved it off without a qualm. "Jason knows."  
  
"So you asked him?" Tanya grinned; curiosity has always been her downfall. Look how many times she tripped out now. "What did he say? What did he say?"  
  
"Say what?" Jason frowned, tightening hand linked through hers. "What is she talking about?"  
  
"Yeah, what are you talking about Tanya?" Adam asked, his brows furrowed together once again. He had a really bad feeling that he has yet again missed something. "Any don't the rest of us know?"  
  
"Cause it was a surprise!" She was practically jumping up and down. Her happiness could only be due to the fact that she would be allowed to be in a wedding, which was one of those happy events in life that she enjoyed more than any. The joining of two souls eternality. When is that going to happen for me? "Well, Jason?"   
  
"Well what?" He frowned, befuddled by the anxious look on the girl's face.   
  
"Come on Goldy, spill it already." Tanya urged, her eyes brilliant with anticipation. "Trini already said that she popped the question."  
  
"Wait," Rocky scratched his head. "I thought Jason was going to pop the question."  
  
"What question?" Adam asked with a sigh, not usually so dense. But the day's event was making him wish that he hadn't incited this whole thing. Here we go again.  
  
Billy laughed, things clicking into place beautifully for him.  
  
"Oh my god," Kim's eyes lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. "Jason!"  
  
"What?" He looked around, desperate to hide the grin that was threatening to pop onto his face.   
  
"Your earring!" Kimberly rounded the couch and sat next to him. "It's so beautiful."  
  
"Thank you," he grinned and glanced at Trini, who rolled her eyes. "It was gift."  
  
"It looks like of familiar." Aisha said as she frowned at it. "Where have I seen that before?"  
  
"I don't know," Tanya tilted her head and furrowed her brows. "But you're right, there's something awfully familiar about... Hey, did you ever read 'Catspaw,' Jason?"  
  
"Joan Vinge?" Trini asked, delighted.  
  
"Yeah," Tanya nodded her head. "Aisha and I read the whole trilogy to the kids in South Kenya. There was this character than he had.... What?" she asked as Jason and Trini went off into a peal of laughter. "What did I say?"  
  
"I read it too." Kim said frowning at the two laughing like loons next to her. "Will you guys...." Then it clicked into place. "Oh my god, she popped the question or you won't be wearing that!"  
  
"What question?" Tommy asked, feeling slightly tossed in the wind.   
  
"THE question." Kimberly rolled her eyes, exasperated at how slowly the guys were catching on. "Trini asked Jason to marry her."  
  
"Wait," Rocky held up his hand. "I think you have it backwards. Jason asked Trini to marry him."  
  
"You were going to ask her to marry you?" Adam asked, amazed at how behind he was in this story. "When?"  
  
"Well..." Jason opened his mouth to explain.  
  
"Of course he was going to pop the question," Tanya exclaimed with some indignation. "He loves her."  
  
"Loving someone doesn't necessarily mean marriage." Tommy pointed out logically.   
  
"It's a show of commitment." Aisha replied, getting into the argument at hand. "It's how you say I love you and always well."  
  
"It's legal document that informs the world of it." Zack interjected, feeling that well being lost in Jason and Trini's relationship, this topic at hand is one he could stand with both feet on the ground. "It's got nothing to do with how one expressed their love for another."  
  
"How can you say that?" Kim looked shocked beyond belief. "Marriage is a way to devote one another..."  
  
"You can do that by living together," Adam pointed out, once again being the voice of what he considers logic and reason. "You don't need someone else to tell you that you are devoted to one another."  
  
"True but marriage is a symbol of something that is precious," Tanya said with wide eyes. "It tells the other person just how willingly committed they are to being a unit."  
  
"It's a ceremony with lots of flowers and cakes, I don't need that to tell Aisha that I love her." Rocky nodded his head, feeling that he had the right of it. "I think that..."  
  
And on and on they argued while Trini and Jason watched with some fascination. "Do you think we can sneak off to get some breakfast?" Trini whispered to him as Aisha whacked Rocky over the head for a silly comment on flower arrangements at a wedding.  
  
Jason shook his head as he watched Tommy and Tanya argue over vows and legal papers. "I don't think so. An atom bomb won't throw them off the topic at hand now." The gang appeared to be really getting into it now. Taking his beloved's hand, he quietly skirted around their friends and headed into the kitchen where the waffles were still in the iron waiting to be extracted. "Think they'll try to stop our wedding due to different philosophical points of views on marriage?"  
  
She giggled softly as he nuzzled her neck while she began to set up breakfast. "If they do, we'll elope. There's still that trip back to Vegas for the casino case."  
  
"Hum... sounds like a great idea. We'll have to make sure that...." The twinkling sound of a cell phone had him sighing. "Now I know why you didn't want to get a cell phone in the first place."  
  
"You and Kim nagged me into it." She said as she picked up the yellow and back cell. "Hello?"  
  
"Hello, I'm looking for Ms. Trini Kwan."  
  
"This is she."  
  
"Hey, Trini. It's Dr. Chabay."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "You might want to sit down for this."  



	42. Difference of Opinions

New Start   
By Didi   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.   
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To Shawn, this one is for you girl!   
  
Note: Okay, counting down to the last chapters. Don't worry, I'll try to resolve everything before signing off on this. Keep reading!   
~~~~~~~~~~   
Chapter Forty-Two   
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo   
168 Apple Grove Drive #A   
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Dr. Chabay!" Trini's smile came across her face, glad that she could finally reassure everyone of her health. "I'm so glad that you called."   
  
"Is that your healthcare provider?" Jason whispered as he leaned over and poured some maple syrup on her waffles. She nodded and listened to the phone again. "As her about your blood test."   
  
She waved him away. "What can I do for you?"   
  
"I have your test results back from the labs."   
  
"That's great, I'm sure glad when I'll be able to tell everyone that keeps telling me to sit down, eat more, drink more water, and sleep more that I'm in perfect health."   
  
The doctor gave a twinkling of laughter. "Well, you're right about one thing. You are in perfect health for someone of your condition."   
  
"My condition?" She asked softly into the phone, cursing herself for having allowed Jason to hear her side of the conversation at hand. He looked at her startled. "Uh..."   
  
"Trini, are you sitting down?"   
  
"No."   
  
"You might want to sit down for this." The doctor chuckled.   
  
Trini dutifully sat while Jason tried to lean in closer to hear. Fearing that it might be bad news, she pushed him gently away. "What is it?"   
  
"First of all, you're in no danger so you need no sound so worried." If Trini could see the good doctor now, she would be much relieved by the soft gentle smile on her face. "Second, you need to stop taking your birth control pills, cause they are obviously not working."   
  
"Why?"   
  
"And third," ignoring the question since the third thing is about to answer everything else. "You're now about six weeks into your pregnancy."   
  
Somehow, it didn't shock Trini as much as she had thought it would. "Oh."   
  
The non-reaction was somewhat startling to the doctor that's come to like her patient so much. "Trini? Is everything all right?"   
  
"Yes." She nodded her head, her eyes meeting Jason's worried ones for a brief moment. Trini laid a hand on Jason's arm as he continued to study her with troubled eyes. "What do I..."   
  
"Are you married, dear?"   
  
"No." She answered honestly.   
  
"Oh," Dr. Chabay felt bad for the young woman. Raising a child on one's own is not going to be an easy task. "I want to come in on tomorrow, maybe during your lunch break and we can talk. I want to give you some prenatal vitamins as well."   
  
"Okay, I'll see you then." Trini swallowed hard, not really wanting to hang up and face Jason with this. "And thank you for calling me."   
  
"You take care of yourself now." Then the phone clicked dead.   
  
To say that Trini was feeling just slightly overwhelmed would be saying that Mount Everest was just a molehill. e so not going to believe our dumb luck."   
  
He smiled gently over her head as he tucked her under his chin. "Tell me."   
  
The mere thought of telling him sent a slight shiver down her spine. Would he be happy? Would be he mad? Does he even want children? Jesus, I had assured him that I was on the pill and that nothing like this was going to happen the first time we went to bed together. Would he think that I lied to him? Oh for god sakes Trini, just tell the man already! "Jason, I..."   
  
"I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MAN!" Kimberly yelled as she stormed into the kitchen area without preamble. "Does he think that just because I am not in the mind set to get married now that I don't believe in the institution? Does he think that marriage is some great be joke the world seem to have fallen into without realizing it and only intelligent people that think marriage is nothing more than a legal document that says you can sleep together are enlightened to the joke itself?" Her slender shapely legs took her from one end of the room to the other.   
  
"Huh..." Trini made a face; she needed to tell Jason as soon as possible. "Kimberly..."   
  
"JASON!" Kimberly pointed one perfectly manicured finger at him. "Take you best friend and get the hell out of this house before I do something unsightly to anything with an extra leg between their thighs. I swear, I'm mad enough to spit nails right now!"   
  
Trini sighed. Obviously Kimberly was upset and in need of a understanding and comforting shoulder to try on or rage at. "Jason, please..." She asked with a pleading look in her eyes. "I'll get together later on tonight and talk, okay?"   
  
"You promise?" He asked, keeping Kimberly in his line of vision. He did not feel like having part of his body hacked into by an angry woman.   
  
"Yeah, I want to talk to you about something important." She kissed his lips, feeling his eyes still watching her obviously furious friend with caution. "I'll take care of this."   
  
"I love you."   
  
"JASON!" Kimberly yelled. "I know you're a newly engaged man and all, and I'm happy for you, but I need Trini right now. So kindly get your ass out of here."   
  
Trini hide a quick grin of amusement. Kimberly's vocabulary turned into one a drunken sailor would be proud of when she was answer. "I love you too. Now scoot."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Jason Scott's Residence   
138 Haven Ave.   
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"So do I want to know what you did to get us kicked out of my fiancée's house?" Jason asked, shutting the door with his heel.   
  
"Your fiancée!" Adam smacked himself in the forehead with his palm. "I still can't believe that I didn't see it coming. I mean I knew that something was going on between the two of you but damn did that one come out from the left field of the park!"   
  
"Not that big of a surprise!" Rocky grinned as he sat down slowly. "I mean he did tell us that he was in love and ready pop!"   
  
Tommy grunted. "He could have given us a clue as to the identity of his ladylove. I can't believe that I didn't see that you and Trini were on the verge of getting it together and simply... Damn, I always thought that between all the old Rangers, I'd be the first to tie the knot. Or at least get engaged. Be it Kimberly or..." He could have bit off his tongue.   
  
Billy grinned, rather amused by the look on Tommy's face, as if he had just swallowed a bucket full of wiggly hairy worms. "Relax Tommy, I'm not going to jump all over you cause of your past with Kat. It's not like our lives have been particularly normal. Besides which, you're looking at a guy that had an interstellar affair."   
  
"True," Jason sat down and poured himself a glass of the fine wine still sitting on the coffee table. "You could say that you're probably the most experienced among us."   
  
"More notches on his belt then," Rocky laughed.   
  
"Oh, do not let your girl hear you say that," Adam pointed out as he sighed, content to be among friends and family for a while. His week is looking to be a crazy one since he'll be pulling double shifts on both Tuesday and Thursday, no way around it. "She's likely to take something sensitive off your body."   
  
"Don't I know it," Rocky shook his head. "Now back to the topic at hand..."   
  
Tommy groaned and leaned his head back. "Never try to talk around a journalist."   
  
"Keep that in mind," the young man laughed and motioned for Jason to hand over the bottle. "I make my living on catching details and keep on the topic at hand. Try to get around me, and I'll eventually pull you back to what I want to know. Or in this case, what Jason was asking in the first place."   
  
"Kim looked pissed as hell," Jason pointed out wise enough to keep his amusement to himself. "Want to tell us why?"   
  
"Not particularly," Tommy said.   
  
"But I want to," Zack said, keeping silent until now. The twinkle in his eyes did not bode well for the miserable former white ranger. "Tommy was playing the role of the commitment-reluctant boyfriend to perfection. Moving in is a good step but the whole not believing in the emotional devotion of marriage was a great big bad move, my brother."   
  
"Don't you know to keep opinions like that to yourself?" Billy said with a slight wince. "I mean no matter what women say, they are all romantics at heart. You give them a reason not to believe in that and you are undoubtedly asking for big trouble." He had seen the look in Kimberly's eyes when Tommy announced that the divorce rates in the world was at an all time high cause the idea of marriage is no longer a means of which two people can announce to the world that they are one but that they are legally together for tax purposes.   
  
Tommy groaned. "I wasn't really thinking when I said that damn things."   
  
"Do you believe in it?" Jason asked, seriously his brows furrowed with concerned. It had never occurred to him that his friend would have such low opinions of the marital state. "I mean it is one thing to say it but totally another if you mean it."   
  
With a sigh that was deep and heart-felt weary, Tommy turned to his best friend. "I hate to say it but yes, I actually do believe that the idea of marriage is but a fiction that society has created over time. You read in history books of how many "marriage of convience" there were in the ancient worlds, and the affairs and scandals that littered the pages of time. We're not exactly looking at an institution of truth and belief in the purity that is thought of as love."   
  
"But that is merely in the history told o nobilities whose ideas are not the reflection of the common man in those time," Billy argued gently, seeing the sadness in Tommy's eyes. "I know that we've seen a society these days where the word fidelity has been taken as a joke. The divorce rates may be rising but then so are false starts and..."   
  
"Exactly," Tommy pointed out. "Our lives are filled with lies we've told, lies we've seen, and lies we live with. The sanctity of marriage is but another one of those lies that we have created in order to keep the illusion of..." He ran a quick angry hand through his hair. "Look now at how many times we've turned and looked our parents and loved ones in the eye and lie about where we were and what we were doing. We've gotten pretty good at that. Good enough to even pull a fast one over our best friends," the last comment directed at Jason.   
  
The original red ranger held up his hands in protest. "I know it was wrong but I had a good reason for it. I don't expect you to understand it unless you've had to face the kind of fear and miscommunication that Trini and I were going through at the time. It is harder than you think to move a relationship from one level to another." He sighed, knowing that Tommy was not going to let this go for a while until his anger has calm down some. "And as for lies that we've told, it's always been cause we need to. Our ranger days were dangerous enough without the thought that our parents and loved ones are going to up all night waiting to hear from us, on whether we were going to live or die."   
  
"I agree," Zack said with a nod. "We did want we had to in order to protect those we are there to protect. We would not have been able to do our jobs if we had to ward off mobs of fans every time we walked out on the streets."   
  
Adam sighed soberly. "As much as it pains me to agree with the illogic of Tommy's thoughts, it is possible that the institution that had once been a sacred ceremony of declaration of devotion has been tinted with time and the formation of civilization. We are no longer the innocent being, the blank state, in which goodness can be filled."   
  
Rocky rubbed his temples. "Layman's terms please, Sigmund Freud."   
  
The young doctor grinned. "I just saying that the idea of marriage, love, devotion, fedility is still the same but the institution has been corrupted with time. We aren't the same society that decided to come together for protection and hunt centuries ago."   
  
"This is getting us no where," Tommy shook his head with the kind of look that a dead man wore just before his execution. "I just know that marriage is not in the cards for me, not anytime soon anyways."   
  
"You think that's going to sit well with Kimberly?" Jason asked, doubtful knowing Kimberly's romantic nature. Billy was right in saying that all women on some level or other were romantic creatures. Just as it was true that everyone on some level will forever seek their other half, their better half.   
  
"I don't know," the former rangers exchanged glances of concern. "I just don't know."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo   
168 Apple Grove Drive #A   
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I can't believe it, I simply can't believe he said that!" Kim ranted as she paced the odd spaces still left in the living room. The couch and coffee and been pushed away to make enough room on the floor for two, but the dimension that were left now made an angry pacing difficult to accomplish.   
  
"You can't believe it," Aisha shook her head and reached for the bowl popcorn on the table. "I can't believe Rocky said that the thought marriage was something that was unnecessary in life."   
  
"I least he still entertains the idea of marriage." Kimberly pointed out with an angry glance at the clock. "Tommy can't even imagine being married."   
  
"Billy thought that marriage was a good idea," Tanya offered hoping to calm the two women somewhat but looking at the fire in their eyes, it was going to take a couple of waterfalls to put those angry flames out.   
  
"Billy is smart!" Aisha popped the fluffy goodness into her mouth. "He knows that society would fall apart if men and women did not have someways to..."   
  
Trini stopped listening to the conversation and turned back to her kitchen. The cookies were baking along with a pineapple upside down cake. She hoped that she had shredded coconut somewhere around. Kimbelry and Aisha were both in a towering rage over their respective boyfriends reactions to the idea of the marital state. Not that Trini could blame them. She just wished that they had kicked Jason out before she had a chance to tell him the news.   
  
Though she was sure that she was not having morning sickness, she felt like throwing up. She knew the literature on birth control pills and condoms. And while condoms were the most convenient and the most highly popular form of contraception, it was only 97% effective, leaves too much to chance. The pills were 99.5% effective when taken correctly. It seemed like the most safe and effective way to....   
  
"Oh hell," she muttered as she stirred the liquid chocolate. She knew that some Asians and Caucasians could not conceive due to genetic make up difference. And she knew that there was a small, tiny chance that some genetic components could overcome the modern contraceptives. But with the .05 chances and the possibility that their genetic make up was not compatible, the last thing she expected was to be with child. She stirred the pot more vigorously.   
  
"Hey, you okay?" Tanya asked as she watched the distracted woman with concern. "What's wrong?"   
  
Trini suppressed the urge to tell her. She wanted to share the news, the fear, the shock.... Shaking her head, she pasted a smile on her face just bright enough to be convincing. "Those two still getting ready to castrate their boyfriend?"   
  
"Aisha's just ticked off that Rocky's views are so atypical guys," Tanya said leaning against the counter and taking the stirring spoon from Trini. "Kim on the other hand..."   
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean." She sighed. "I don't know what is it about Tommy that just makes him so stupid where Kimberly is concerned."   
  
"Maybe it's the being in love thing," the chocolate smelled heavenly and she was tempted to take a taste if she didn't think that Trini would kill her. "The guy is so far in cloud nine that his mouth runs away with him before it the thought has a chance to run its course through his brain."   
  
"Well whatever it is, I hope he fix this fast." Trini muttered pulling the flour and sugar from the cabinets. "I would like to enjoy my engagement without those two at each other's throats over this whole philosophy of marriage thing."   
  
Tanya nodded her head. She took the cookie that Trini offered to her. "We could lock them in the attic."   
  
"That would only work if both of them actually wants to stay there." Trini said with a grin. "I doubt a mere door made of wood would stop either Kim or Tommy from escaping if they put their mind to it."   
  
The other yellow ranger nodded her agreement. "I use to watch Tommy shatter cinder blocks with his forehead."   
  
"Isn't that just too cool to watch?" Trini asked with a grin.   
  
"Oh yeah!" and the two shared appreciative laughs.   
  
"TRINI!" Kimberly yelled from the living room. "CAN I FEED YOUR FISHES?"   
  
Trini exchanged startled glances with Tanya. "YEAH, GO RIGHT AHEAD!" she put the measuring cups in the sink. "What was that?"   
  
"Don't ask me," Tanya shook her head. "I don't understand this thing any better than you do."   
  
"Oh boy."   
  
"You know, you never did tell us what happened when you proposed." Tanya asked as she took another cookie from the hot cookie sheet.   
  
She snorted with amusement. "Well, you see I started to play this song and...."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Katherine Hallard's Residence   
58 Pondarosa Road   
Sydney, Australia   
  
"No! He didn't!" Kat stared ahead in complete shock.   
  
"I swear to god he did." Billy nodded his head as he moved toward the bed to get his laptop. "I couldn't believe it myself."   
  
"And he said this right in front of Kimberly?" Katherine had never considered Tommy an idiot but now she may have to revise her opinion of her former lover. "What the hell was he thinking?"   
  
"I believe that is the question of the day. Probably suicidal thought," Billy grabbed the laptop and pushed it into the protective leather traveling case. "Kimberly looked angry enough to do some murdering."   
  
"I don't blame her." Kat shifted in her chair. "What does Tommy say?"   
  
"He has yet to realize the huge problem in his relationship with her that he has created." He glanced at the closet wondering if that was where he put his duffle bag or was it upstairs in the attic. "'De-Nile' is no longer just a river in Egypt."   
  
"Oh boy," Kat sighed and shook her head over this. "You know, I think I might have to call up my ex and yell at him for a few moments."   
  
"You sure you want to step into the middle of this?" Billy asked as he tossed some clothes on the bed. He wasn't going to pack yet, after all there was at least another four days but he did know his own temperament and he was likely to wait until the last minute. "I mean, this had the potential to..."   
  
"I think Tommy is being an idiot and who better to tell him then his ex." Kat explained. "We've been through a whole lot, including some pretty bad stuff. If anyone can criticize him over his behavior where women are concerned, it would be me."   
  
"Okay, I'm just saying.... It could be pretty ugly."   
  
"I know but I think I owe it to them both. Kimberly was always a good friend to me, even after the whole break up with Tommy. And Tommy... Let's just say that I know why he is so reluctant to even entertain the idea of marriage. And someone needs to talk some sense into him. Since he can't beat me up over the phone, and he's too polite to hang up, it's going to have to be me."   
  
"Okay, if you say so." Billy shook his head and sat down on the bed. "On to happier subjects...."   
  
"So Jason and Trini, huh?" She was probably wearing the most idiotic grin on her face but she didn't particularly care. "Who would have guess?"   
  
"Me."   
  
"Oh shut up," she laughed. "You are so the provincial busy-body there."   
  
"I couldn't help but notice. I've known those two since we were kids. It was hard not to notice the little tale-tell signs."   
  
"Kim has known them for sometime too, why didn't she..."   
  
"She's too busy jumping on Tommy." Billy grinned at that idiotic mental picture.   
  
Kat grimaced. "So did not need to hear that."   
  
"Sorry," he cocked his head to the side and stared at the picture on his nightstand. It was the five original rangers, together for the last time before Trini, Jason and Zack had headed off to Switzerland. "I can't wait to see you in a few days."   
  
"Me too," the happiness in her voice was evident enough. "I have so much planned for you."   
  
"Really?" He thought of all that Jason and Trini had gone through to be together, the risks and potential pit falls that they had to endure to be one. "What a coincidence, so do I."   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Since I'm approaching the end of this series, I thought I would drop the teaser lines. They just simply give too much away. Okay, I'm going to go back working on this now, chapter 43 will hopefully be up before too long. Stay tuned....


	43. The Past

New Start   
By Didi   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.   
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Jacks, this one is for you. You're wonderful and your e-mails are always something that I look forward to reading. Thanks for all the encouraging words. And Billy, definitely do Billy next!   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
Chapter Forty-Three   
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo   
168 Apple Grove Drive #A   
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Kimberly sat in front of the tank and watched the wonderful tropic fishes glide ever so gracefully through the water. She finally understood why Trini kept these things around even when her roommate had a cat that was just waiting for a chance to get at the hundred dollar a piece fishes. They were awfully calming on the nervous with their smooth and slowly actions that appear to be completely removed from the realities of life. Which is it considering there are only fishes in a tank sitting in someone's living room and waiting for.... She dropped a few more flakes of fish chow into the take before replacing the cover.   
  
Trini Kwan has always valued her friendship with Kimberly the way most people valued gallons of ice cream after a breakup, it was necessary and the most healing thing in the world. It struck her that Kimberly didn't look so down even during her first breakup with Tommy. It was as if something Tommy had said had shattered something keep within Kim.   
  
"You all right?" Trini asked, as she sat down and watched her friend stare into the fish tank. "Want to talk?"   
  
"Not particularly," she looked over her shoulder at her best pal. "Where are the other two former yellow rangers?"   
  
"Tanya and Aisha took my car to the mall," she played with the ring on her finger. "Tanya thought it would be better than allowing Aisha to go tear Rocky's head off his shoulders."   
  
"Hum..." Kim wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked on her pelvic bones.   
  
"You all right?"   
  
"Not really." She turned from her strange position to look at Trini. "And I should be asking you the same question. You look kind of pale."   
  
Trini smiled in return. "Yeah well I'm just tired. Jason kept me up most of the night."   
  
"I cannot imagine why?" Kimberly grinned widely and hopped over to the sofa and picked up Trini's hand. "God, it's gorgeous."   
  
"Yeah, that's what I thought when I saw it. Though Jason worried that it might be too big."   
  
"Then why did he buy it?"   
  
"Cause it was gorgeous."   
  
The two friends laughed as Trini put one arm around her friend. "He's an idiot and he'll see it soon enough."   
  
"Well he?" Kimberly asked, sobering at the thought. "I won't really blame him, you know. I don't exactly have a great track record where he is concerned."   
  
"He loves you," the tone held all the meaning. "And he understood. It'll only be a matter of time before he realizes that he isn't going to want to take a chance at losing you a second time."   
  
"I'm not asking for marriage, you know." Kim explained, her eyes wide with sorrow. "I'm not asking for anything but his understanding that to me marriage is sacred and not to be taken lightly, even as joke."   
  
"And he does," Trini insisted. "He's scared and not sure of anything at the moment."   
  
"How can you be so sure?"   
  
"Cause I can see the love in his eyes every time he looks at you." She nodded her head. "He will come around."   
  
"And if he doesn't?"   
  
"Well then you have a best friend that can kick his ass."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Jason Scott's Residence   
138 Haven Ave.   
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Do you love her?" Zack asked somewhat cautiously. Though he agreed to play devil's advocate in this little exercise, he won't put it above his currently emotional friend to take his head off.   
  
"What the hell kind of question is that?" Tommy growled impatiently as he sat there cross armed and stern.   
  
"A very logical and reasonable given the circumstances."   
  
"WHAT?"   
  
Adam grimaced and exchanged looks with Rocky who merely shook his head. "Tommy, calm down. The point of this exercise is to help you work through some of this problem that you and Kimberly are obviously having."   
  
"So why isn't she here having her head examined by you three?" The former white ranger complained as he stared at his former teammates.   
  
"Cause she's not quite calm enough to sit in the same room with you without wanting to cause you bodily harm." Zack said fighting the urge to grin with amusement.   
  
"I fail to see what's so funny about all this." Tommy commented.   
  
"You would if you were sitting in my seat for this show." Zack leaned back and shook his head. "Tommy, you are a smart guy. I don't know why or how you seem to get yourself into these situations. And it's not like this is the first time that you and Kimberly have been on the miscommunication."   
  
Tommy eyed Zack with interest suddenly. "And what does that mean?"   
  
"I seem to recall a certain letter a former pink ranger sent while away from you for a great deal of length of time." The cocked his head with a knowing lift of a brow.   
  
"And how did you know that it was a miscommunication?" his eyes narrowed suddenly with dark angry. "Did Kim tell you what really happened that summer?"   
  
Adam and Rocky both backed quickly from this subject at hand, going so far as to leave the couch on which they were sharing with Tommy. This was an accident just waiting to happen. The subject of Kimberly has always been one that Tommy never allowed his friends to broach upon. And no one has yet dared to bring up the infamous letter to him   
  
"Yeah, Kimberly told me." Zack answered with the definite nod of his head as one that knew his friends well would. He had always considered that move on Kimberly's part to be the lowest point in her life. She should have never done something so wonderfully idiotic. Anyone with eyes in their heads could see that these two were made for one another. "I spent about fifty dollars worth of phone bills listening to her cry over the phone for an hour overseas. This was after the sixty phone calls that she traded with Trini."   
  
What ever Tommy would have done to Zack to knowing all those years ago about the lie that literally tore his heart out was lost at the thought that Kimberly had been in pain. She had loved him. She had loved him enough to let go. "Was she..."   
  
"Dying from the inside?" Zack finished for him, his eyes wisely knowing. "Yeah, you could say that."   
  
"Did she ever... with anyone during her time with Pan Global?"   
  
"No." It was a simple and definite answer.   
  
"She loved me."   
  
"She loves you." Zack corrected, motioning the other two back into their seats. The storm had passed without any damage. "And you're an idiot."   
  
Tommy nodded his head. "Marriage?"   
  
Adam shook his head. "I don't know if that's wise."   
  
Rocky frowned. "I don't know. If you don't propose, you could risk the chance of losing her."   
  
The young doctor shook his head again and peered around Tommy at his best friend. "But if he proposed against his how nature and inclination, it would be a mockery of the marital institution." He pointed out logically. "Or at least in Kimberly's eyes."   
  
"Besides which," Zack sighed. "At this point in time, why would Kimberly believe him?"   
  
"You are not helping," Tommy said quietly, his brain hurting from all the information that was slowly being re filtered through is head.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo   
168 Apple Grove Drive #A   
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Five minutes Trini!" Kimberly called from downstairs as Trini hurried to get her purse and dress more appropriately for lunch out with the girls.   
  
Shaking her head, she wondered how she got talked into going to a diner for lunch instead of heading over to Jason to talk to the man. Grabbing her cell phone and pulling on her pants at the same time, she wondered briefly why she wasn't just using the damn house phone for this. Snorting at her own idiocies, she grabbed a light jacket from the closet.   
  
"Come on, Jase. Pick up your phone." She muttered as she crouched down looking for her watch. She vaguely remembered throwing it along with her gold chain necklace somewhere over the side of the bed when Jason had gotten a little too attentive around her neck.   
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Jason, thank god." She grinned as she picked up her watch, necklace and Jason's signet ring from under the bed. "Listen, I don't have a lot of time right now. Kimberly and I are meeting the girls at the mall to go get lunch at some diner that Tanya insist that we try out."   
  
"Okay," Jason said quietly, waiting patiently.   
  
"I really need to talk to you as soon as we get a chance to get together." She slipped his ring onto her necklace dropped the heavy gold under her light blouse. It was rather comforting to know that it was there. "Can we meet for dinner?"   
  
"You sure you can get away?" He asked, glancing at the door. "I'm not sure if I can get away. Tommy and the other are talking now and I just got a call from Daniel. I've got to do an emergency presentation tomorrow morning for the investors."   
  
"Ten minutes, Jase. I just need ten minutes of alone time with you." She said as she grabbed her purse.   
  
"You can have as long as you need, Angel. I'm also free to you." He said quietly, wishing to hell that he were there with her.   
  
She paused at the door, touched beyond belief. "Jason..."   
  
"TRINI!" Kimberly yelled again. "Let's go!"   
  
Shaking herself out of the stupor, she grinned. "I'll see you tonight, darling."   
  
"I love you."   
  
"I love you too. And talk some sense into Tommy before Kimberly decides that he really isn't worth it even though we all know that those two are like Romeo and Juliet, destined to be together."   
  
"And the two of us?"   
  
"We're like sugar and salt."   
  
"Sugar and salt?" He wasn't sure if he should be offended.   
  
"Yeah, you can't have of one without at least thinking of the other." She grinned and walked down the stair. "I'll see you soon."   
  
Jason shook his head at that piece of logic. "Soon."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
August 2, 2004   
Jason Scott's Residence   
138 Haven Ave.   
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"TOMMY!"   
  
"WHAT?!?"   
  
"PHONE!"   
  
"OKAY! I GOT IT!" Tommy brought the piece to ear. "Hello?"   
  
"Are you a complete moron?"   
  
He sighed. "Hello, Kat. Who called you?"   
  
"Billy, of course." She shook her head, wondering briefly if all guys yelled like that when in the same house together. "What was all that yelling, anyways?"   
  
"Our version of an intercom system."   
  
"Figures," she took a deep breath to begin. "Okay, so I'm going to make this as brief and painless as possible." She said in a rush, hoping against home that he won't interrupt and yell at her. "Okay, scratch that, I am going to make this painful for you. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING??? I know that the idea of marriage has never been high on your list of priority..."   
  
"I know."   
  
"But when we talked about it, it was under the worse possibly circumstances... I mean me pregnant and no one expecting that we'd be so careless..."   
  
"I know." He said resigned.   
  
"But that is hardly the circumstance in which you find yourself in at the moment." She shook her head, thinking that life should not be so complicated after everything they went through as Power Rangers. "You obviously love her, in fact I'm not too sure if you ever stopped loving her, even when you were sleeping with me."   
  
"I know."   
  
"You've been waiting all your life for your perfect pink princess and then there she was, right under your nose. You were good together, I know they were, and then things just got all screwy." She got up to pace, her line of logic now running on its own.   
  
Tommy frowned at the wall, "I know."   
  
"Back then, I thought you were a complete moron for not going to her and asking for a damn explanation. Everyone thought that teleporting there to get an answer would be a good idea. But NO! You sat on your ass and let her go! Not that I wasn't grateful at the time but you just let her go!"   
  
"I know."   
  
"God, I always thought that was the biggest mistake you ever made a leader of the Power Rangers. You let your duties to Zordan cloud everything else, including your own heart. You loved her, really loved her and you just let Zordan's mission get the way."   
  
"I realize that now."   
  
"Well you're not going to do it again! I'm not going to let you sit on your ass and let her slip through your fingers once again cause your stupid brain can't see straight...."   
  
"I know."   
  
"And you're going to apologise and...." Something finally clicked in Kat's head. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"   
  
"I said I know."   
  
"What?"   
  
Tommy sighed into the phone. "I know that I screwed up bad."   
  
"Really?" "And how did you suddenly come upon that?"   
  
"A suddenly and blinding realization of just how much she loved me." He answered in that deep tone of his that made Kat want to protect him as if he was a five-year-old child and just found out that Santa Claus isn't real.   
  
"And that came to you how?"   
  
"By the way of Zack, who won't know tact when it comes to this stuff if it came up to him and bit him in the..."   
  
"Tommy..."   
  
"Sorry," he leaned back on his bed and watched the window as the light began to fade slightly. The days were getting shorter. "She learned something very early on that most of us don't learn until too late."   
  
"And what's that?"   
  
"Letting go."   
  
Kat nodded her head sadly, strangely enough understanding it all too well without him having to say the words. "She let you go cause she wanted you to be happy, even if it is without her."   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"We couldn't let go until we lost our child."   
  
"Yeah."   
  
There was heavy silence. "You love her?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Did you love me?"   
  
There was a pregnant silence as Tommy considered this carefully. "When we were together, it was wonderful. I was the happiest that I've been in so long, especially after Kim. Did I love you? Yeah, in my own way during that part of my life, I did love you very much."   
  
She smiled, it was the honest words of a man that's had time to really reflect upon his life. She had a feeling that Tommy has been doing some serious thinking. "Thank you."   
  
"For what?"   
  
"Being honest."   
  
"Kat..."   
  
"Go talk to her."   
  
"I don't know if...."   
  
"Go talk to her." She said again, more insistently this time. "You're not fool, Tommy. So don't be one by letting yourself make the same mistake twice. You didn't go to her all those years ago for an explanation when you know very well that you should have."   
  
"Kat it's not the same thing."   
  
"Oh no? I think it is." Kat sighed, knowing that even if he was one of the sweetest guys he knew, he was just as stubborn as any moron on earth. "Do this for me, okay? Don't let this go and fester until it's too late to repair it."   
  
Tommy sighed, hating himself for knowing the right thing but too scared to act on it. "I'll call you when it's done."   
  
"You better. I don't get nearly enough gossip around here." She smiled and glanced briefly at the picture on the tabletop of all the Rangers she had served with. "So.... Jason and Trini?"   
  
Tommy laughed.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~   
The Mall   
  
Kimberly felt her heart gave a hitch as she listened to the sound being played over the loudspeakers in the crowded area. It wasn't your usual mall music and brought back too many memories.   
  
Everybody's got something   
They had to leave behind   
One regret from yesterday,   
That just seems to grow of time   
There's no use looking back or wondering   
How it could be now or might have been   
All this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go   
  
I never had a dream come true   
Till the day that I've found you   
Even though I pretend that I've moved on   
You'll always be my baby   
  
I never found the words to say   
You're the one I think about each day   
And I know no matter where life takes me to   
A part of me will always be with you   
  
Somewhere in my memory   
I've lost all sense of time   
And tomorrow can never be   
Coz yesterday is all that fills my mind   
There's no use looking back or wondering   
How it should be now or might have been   
All this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go   
  
I never had a dream come true   
Till the day that I've found you   
Even though I pretend that I've moved on   
You'll always be my baby   
  
I never found the words to say   
You're the one I think about each day   
And I know no matter where life takes me to   
A part of me will always be with you   
  
You'll always be the dream that fills my head   
Yes you will, say you will   
You know you will baby   
You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget   
There's no use looking back or wondering   
Because love is a strange and funny thing   
No matter how I try and try I just can't say goodbye   
No, no, no, no   
  
I never had a dream come true   
Till the day that I've found you   
Even though I pretend that I've moved on   
You'll always be my baby   
  
I never found the words to say   
You're the one I think about each day   
And I know no matter where life takes me to   
A part of me will always be with you   
  
I never had a dream come true   
Till the day that I've found you   
Even though I pretend that I've moved on   
You'll always be my baby   
  
I never found the words to say   
You're the one I think about each day   
And I know no matter where life takes me to   
A part of me will always be with you   
  
She remembered first hearing the song on the radio, years after the infamous letter she had sent to Tommy. Every word in the song struck a cord in her heart. Years of sitting in a darken room doing nothing but remember his eyes, his smile, the way he laughed and made her happy. She lived on memories those days; memories she cherished but knew could never be relived. Now...   
  
God, she never expected to see him again much less have a chance to.... She would be lying if she said that she hadn't dreamt of being with him, creating a home with him, living a life with him... But they had all been dreams, reality was much harsher and less appealing. Yet when she saw him again, after all these years, it was as if someone had granted her something that she knew she was going to only get one chance at again. But now....   
  
"Definitely have to go back for that skirt," Aisha said as she stuff the new sweater into the big brown bag "It would fit this outfit too perfectly for me not to go back for it."   
  
"Totally agree," Kimberly nodded her head wisely, pushing back darker, sadder thoughts in favor of spending a little quality time with her girls. "Oh by the way, news from the fashion world. Red is the color of the year."   
  
"Red?" Tanya made a face. "I can't carry off red."   
  
"Sure you can," Kimberly waved a hand to a nearby store window. "Just don't choice that bright thing. The only person that can carry that off is Trini, she's fair enough to.... Hello? Earth to Trini?"   
  
"What?" she turned her head back to her friends having momentarily been distracted by a young mother holding her baby while trying to pull her cell phone from her purse. "I'm sorry, my mind wondered off for a moment. You were saying something about red?"   
  
"What's so fascinating?" Tanya glanced over and noted a quite little purse by the window. "Oh... what I won't give to have that."   
  
"You like it?" Trini asked, hoping to throw the others off as her friends was now eyeing her rather closely. "Why don't I get it for you as a going away present? You can choice something too Aisha."   
  
"Oh! Gift! Definitely cool!" Aisha and Tanya raced off toward the story with Trini and Kimberly laughing after them. They have no qualms about accepting things from a girl that makes a little over a million a year on the stock market.   
  
"You all right?" Kim asked as she waited why Aisha tried on another skirt, hoping to top the previous one. "You haven't exactly been all here all afternoon."   
  
"Sorry, I'm just a little tired." Trini forced herself to smile and relax against the wall. She seemed to recall someone saying that stress was not good for a baby. "I would have liked to have spent the day with my fiancé but someone kicked him and his friends out."   
  
Kimberly sighed. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. But I just did not want to be around him for a little while. At least until I get over this need to pull all the hair out of his head."   
  
"Ouch," Trini gave a sympathetic wince. "This shopping spree putting you in a better mood yet?"   
  
"Yeah," she grinned like a young girl that she once was. "There's nothing like blowing money that you can't afford to blow to put a girl back in her groove again."   
  
"Says that woman whose father set her up with a trust fund."   
  
"That I won't touch unless under strict emergencies."   
  
Waving that away, Trini picked up a soft gray ankle length duster with wide trimming. "Hum... I wonder if I should...."   
  
"Buy it," Kimberly said without even giving it a second glance.   
  
"We don't even know if..."   
  
"You can afford it and you need to help me blow some steam."   
  
"By blowing off money of my own?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
Trini sighed dramatically and fingered the fine wool and cotton blend on the duster. "The things I do for my friends."   
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Okay, for those of you that's going to pick on me.... The song is called "Never Had a Dream Come True," and it's by S Club 7, a teeny-bopper group. But I like the lyrics so much that I decided to put it in here. I know that it's a recent song and probably should not be use in here but I couldn't resist. So cut me some slack okay?   
  
Oh as per requested, teaser line is back. So....next time on New Start: "I have something very important to tell you."   
  
Stay tuned guys! 


	44. Curves of Life

New Start By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: All the wonderful readers, without whom this would hardly be the story that it is now.   
  
Note: This chapter was partly inspired by The Girl in the Red Jacket's "Were a Star Quenched On High." Thanks girl for all the inspiration.  
  
Note: I don't know why the spacing gets screwed up when I post so just for your reference, everything in brackets [**] are song lyrics. Thanks. ~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter Forty-Four ~~~~~~~~~~ August 2, 2004 Trini Kwan's Condo 168 Apple Grove Drive #A East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"But... but...."  
  
"Come on, Trini," Tanya pleaded. "You're going to get to see Jason every day for the rest of your life. We're only going to be here for another three days. It's just going to be dinner."  
  
"But...." Trini looked ready to cry, her frustration knew no bounds. The little shopping spree had been great but she had been looking forward to telling Jason about the pregnancy. How she was going to do it was another question entirely but she didn't really care how it went as long as he knew as soon as possible. But now the girls want to into New York City for a fancy dinner with all the trimmings at a five star restaurant. "I...."  
  
"Trini...." Tanya placed her hands together and begged. "Come on, this is my only change to look this good for the next three months. Rwanda is not exactly the most glamorous place in the world."  
  
She wanted to whimper and cry but knew that with these three, it would be hopeless. "Fine, but I get to at least call the man."  
  
"Deal!" Kimberly got up with a quick hope. "Hair and makeup in the bathroom."  
  
"I'm going to wear that bronze thing with the..."  
  
"Oooo..... I've got shoes that would just look totally...."  
  
"I hope you have green shadow to match my...."  
  
There were days when Trini knew that world was out to kill her. And then there were days like this, where she knew the world was just out to annoy her as much as possible. Dialing up Jason, she sat down on the couch and stared at the fish tank.  
  
"Yo!"  
  
She laughed in spite of herself. "Zack, is that the way you usually answer the phone?"  
  
"Pretty much." Zack replied with a smile. "What's up my friend?"  
  
"Jason around?"  
  
"Locked in the library with enough paper to make the Amazon rainforest cringe."  
  
"Ouch," she had forgotten that he needed to prepare of a presentation. "Think you can interrupt him?"  
  
"For you? He'd drop the supermodel in his lap." He laughed as he made his way toward the library. "What's up?"  
  
"I won't be having dinner with him as I had planned." She sighed in regret.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"The girls are determined to go to New York for dinner at the Harbor Inn."  
  
"That black-tie restaurant?"  
  
"Yeah, that would be it."  
  
"Wow... fancy."  
  
"I know."   
  
"You don't sound too happy."  
  
She sighed and leaned back, "Ever since this morning..."  
  
"When we walked in on the two of you," he added.  
  
Trini made a face. "I haven't had more than two minutes alone with him."  
  
"You guys will have the rest of your lives."  
  
"Your point being?"  
  
Zack laughed, it was so like Trini to be completely and honestly blunt with him. "Okay, okay, I get the point." He paused at the door of the library. "Hey, how is Kim?"  
  
"Less pissed."  
  
"That's good."  
  
"And Tommy?"  
  
"Less stupid."  
  
"That's even better."  
  
He shook his head. "What are we going to do with those two?"  
  
She shrugged to herself. "Lock them in Jason's basement?"  
  
"Now that would be a show worth paying for." He pushed open the door slowly, surveying the tornado of papers. "Hang on, here's Jason."  
  
The man in question looked up with one pencil behind his ear and another scribbling on a notepad. He grabbed the phone irritated with the interruption. "Brandon, I'm working as fast as I can so just keep your..."  
  
"Hello to you too, Darling."  
  
Jason frowned into the phone, his head still in his work. "Trini?"  
  
Zack rolled his eyes. "Oh lord..." then headed out the door to give them some privacy. "Real good Jason, real good." He shook his head and pulled the door close muttering under this breath, "First Tommy turns into an idiot and now him.... Who's next?"  
  
"It's nice to know that you recognize my voice after twenty odd years of friendship and a recent engagement...."  
  
"I'm sorry, Angel." He rubbed his eyes slowly with his knuckles. "I got caught up in the..."  
  
"I'm teasing Jason."  
  
"I know." He smiled, feeling his body relaxing just listening to the sound of her voice. "So, what's up?"  
  
"Change of plans for tonight."  
  
He groaned. "You're not coming over?"  
  
"Sorry, the girls are dragging me to New York for dinner."  
  
"Damn, you were my reward for being good about doing this presentation."  
  
Trini laughed, her heart swelling with love. He was so good to her and for her. Why she ever had doubts about him and his love was beyond her wildest imagination. "I love you."  
  
"Hey," sensing her mood change. "Is everything all right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Absolutely," or at least she was absolutely sure on her part. "If we get back early..."  
  
"An impossibility." He added.  
  
"If I get back earlier than expected, which I would say is one in the morning, can I come over?"  
  
"Absolutely." He shifted some paper out of the way. "You know, we never did get you guys those keys."  
  
She laughed. "Maybe now would be a good time."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"I'll try to get back."  
  
"Okay, have fun."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"I love you, Angel."  
  
"I love you, Jason."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ August 2, 2004 Jason Scott's Residence 138 Haven Ave. East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I have something very important to tell you." Rocky said as he sat down next to the reclining Adam.  
  
"You're going to propose to Aisha," his friend replied without opening his resting eyes.   
  
"No," he was tempted to hit the young doctor in the arm then reconsidered. "Though...."  
  
"Too soon, my friend. Too soon."  
  
"Okay, okay..." Rocky waited until Adam opened his eyes to look at him. "I'm going to quit my job."  
  
"What?" That certainly got his attention. "Come again?"  
  
"You heard me." Looking perfectly serious.  
  
"You're going to quit your job," Adam said, repeating the words to get a taste of them. "And do what?"  
  
"Go to Rwanda with Aisha."   
  
"Really?" Though it should have shocked him, somehow it didn't. "Have you talked to Aisha about this?"  
  
"No, not yet. I wanted to see what your reaction would be." He sat back and surveyed the look on his friend's face. "If she reacts half as well as you do, I'd count myself a lucky man."  
  
Adam shook his head and sat back again, propping his legs on the coffee table and crossing his arms. "I know that you've been in love with Aisha since what feels like forever. When she left for Africa, you were less than yourself for a long time. And then when you left the Rangers to recuperate, I thought for sure you were going to follow her to the African outback for a while..."  
  
"Don't think I wasn't tempted."  
  
"So why didn't you?"  
  
"You remember my grandfather? He was sick and in Michigan. Where do you think I was?"  
  
"Oh," Adam nodded, ashamed that he had forgotten that part. Of course during that time, he had been a little busy trying to stay alive. "Well, things and times have changed. If you feel that...."  
  
"This could be my last shot." Rocky answered honestly.  
  
"Then I say good luck and I'll always have a place on the floor for you when you visit." He reached out his hand.  
  
Rocky took the offered hand and pulled his buddy into an tight embrace. "You are my best friend, don't you ever forget that."  
  
"Who could even think with you squeezing all the air out of my lungs?" Adam gasped. "Let go!"  
  
"Oh sorry!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ August 2, 2004 Harbor Inn New York Harbor New York, New York  
  
"Are you sure?" Kim asked, her eyes wide with delight and just a touch of surprise.  
  
"Yeah," Aisha nodded her head. "It would be nicer if I know where I can get a job."  
  
"I'd hire you in a second," Trini said, touching her lips with the napkin. "I'm sure we can help with the job search."  
  
"You think Rocky will freak out?" Aisha asked, her eyes held all the nervousness and uncertainly of her decision to stay in the US near her man.  
  
"If he does, I'll kill him." Tanya stated, her eyes getting misty over the thought of losing her traveling buddy. She loved having Aisha to argue with, travel with, and ogle men with. Now... "I'm going to miss you."  
  
"You know you can just..." Aisha put an arm around her best pal.   
  
"Oh no, we can't both leave at the same time, what would the organization say about that!" She laughed through sniffled tears. "I can't believe I'll be leaving on Thursday alone."  
  
"I'm going to miss you too." Aisha sniffed, feeling the tears gather in her eyes.  
  
"Hey you two!" Kim said, her eyes reflecting her mix reactions. "None of that. I worked very hard at getting those shades just right, you mess up your make up and you're on your own."  
  
The ladies laughed, there minds occupied with the joyous times that they've shared. Trini smiled fondly at them all and held up her glass of water. "To us, ladies. For all the accomplishments, the sweat and pain, the tears of joy and sorrow, all the good times and the not so good times... Here's to friends!"  
  
"Friends!" They clinked glasses, each with seeing that their friendship would last for the life that they have spanning ahead.   
  
"You have to talk to Rocky, you know." Kimberly said, cutting into her salmon. "Don't throw your career away and then find out that he..."  
  
"I will," Aisha promised. "I think I'm going to miss the traveling the most."  
  
"Well, you can get a nice job that lets you travel as well."  
  
"Yeah, but nothing like what I had before." Aisha sighed with regret. "What I do, it makes so much difference and gives me so much pleasure, and it's going to be hard."  
  
"But worth it," Tanya said with a nod of her head. "He's worth it."  
  
"Yeah, he is."  
  
"But don't make the call yet." Trini said, agreeing with Kimberly. "Talk to him first."  
  
Aisha bit her glossy lips in concern. "Oh boy, how am I going to tell him?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ August 2, 2004 Jason Scott's Residence 138 Haven Ave. East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
The irony that is the world has decided to rub salt into his wound by playing the perfect song on the radio to match his mood that threatened to tear him apart.  
  
[There's a thousand words that I could say To make you come home (yeah) Seems so long ago you walked away And left me alone And I remember what you said to me You were acting so strange And maybe I was too blind to see That you needed a change  
  
Was it something I said, to make you turn away To make you walk out and leave me cold (Ohh Ohh Ohh Ohh Ohh) If I could just find a way To make it so that you were right here right now  
  
I've been sitting here Can't get you off mind I try my best to be a man and be strong I drove myself insane Wishing I could touch your face (touch your face) But the truth remains you're gone (you're) Gone (baby you're) Gone (girl you're gone. Baby girl you're) Gone (you're) Gone (you're)  
  
Now I don't wanna make excuses baby Won't change the fact that your gone (no, no) But if there's something that I could do Won't you please let me know The time is passing so slowly now Guess, that's my life without you (Guess, that's my life without you) And maybe I could change my every day But baby I don't want to  
  
I'll just hang around and find some things to do To take my mind off missing you (take my mind off missing you) And I know in my heart you can't say that you don't love me too Please say you do Yeah...  
  
I've been sitting here (sitin' here) Can't get you off mind (get you off my mind) I try my best to be a man and be strong (my best to be a man and be strong) I drove myself insane Wishing I could touch your face (Wishing I could touch your face) But the truth remains (truth remains you're) gone (you're) Gone (you're) Gone (you're gone) (you're) Gone (you're) Gone  
  
What will I do If I can't be with you Tell me where will I turn to Baby, who will I be Now that we are apart Am I still in your heart Baby why can't you see That I need you here with me Ohh...  
  
I've been sittin here (sitin' here) Can't get you off mind (Can't get you off mind) I try my best to be a man and be strong (my best to be a man) I drove myself insane Wishing I could touch your face (Oh could you baby) But the truth remains (the truth remains you're gone)  
  
I've been sittin here (sitin' here) Can't get you off mind (Can't get you off mind) I try my best to be a man and be strong (my best to be a man) I drove myself insane (ohh) Wishing I could touch your face (ohh) But the truth remains (Ohh ohh baby the truth is you're)  
  
gone (you're) Gone (you're) Gone (you're gone) (baby girl you're) Gone (you're) Gone But the truth remains you're Gone]  
  
Tommy lay on his back, his thoughts racing in different directions at the speed of light, all converging at the center point of his life, Kimberly Ann Hart. She had been the center of his universe since the first moment of sight, the way her light brown hair curled up under her chin, giving her that adorable pixie look that sent shockwaves of awareness through every fiber of his being. It was as if someone had touched him with live wires and he simply didn't feel the pain, just the jolt of aliveness.   
  
Kat had been right when she said that he had been waiting for his one true love all his life, his pink princess, and he had walked away from her once. He had let his life as a Ranger cloud and deprived him of the most joyous thing in his life. he was simply going to have to stop that. Why hadn't he gone after her? He knew the real answer to that. It had not been because of Zordon, or the missions, the duties, the life he led.   
  
The simple truth of the matter was, he had been scared. If Kimberly truly had been with another man, it would have crushed him, destroyed everything he was. Somewhere in the back of his head, he had his doubts over the validity of the letter. It sounded nothing like the way he remembered Kimberly, alive, beautiful, kind, free, wonderful... and the list continued. But he always had his own insecurities, ones he didn't want to be confirmed. He wasn't sure of anything so he choice not to have anything confirmed. The truth of the matter, had it been bad, would have killed him. It would have hurt him in worse ways that anything their enemies could have done.  
  
So he had let a lie that was meant to love him stand in his way for....   
  
Picking up his phone, he phoned the one person in the world he knew that could help him through anything.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Tommy smiled, the sound of her voice already reassured him that everything was going to be good and better again. "Mom, I screwed up loyally this time."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ August 3, 2004 Trini Kwan's Condo 168 Apple Grove Drive #A East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Trini fingered the ring on her finger as she sat in front of her vanity. Staring at herself in the mirror, she wondered if that silly happy smile was going to be a permanent part of her appearance. Shaking her head over her own silliness, she turned on the radio and picked her brush to prepare for bed. It was getting late and she still had to....  
  
She turned her head, letting the lilting voice on the radio permeate her happiness. The voice held infinite sadness and heartbreak; so much pain and unbelievable sorrow that Trini's eyes filled just listening to her speak.  
  
"He was diagnosed with cancer and the doctors say that there's nothing they can do. He's too far along for even chemo therapy to do any good."  
  
The radio personality spoke with such regret. "Oh Diane, I'm so sorry. What can we play for you tonight?"  
  
"Could you play 'Hold On' by Sarah McLachlan?" The woman sniffed over the radio. "I loved it so much yet I never really listened to the words and now..... now I know."  
  
"Sure we can, I'm so sorry for all the pain you're in right now. I hope this song brings you and your husband some peace for a few moments. This one is for Rodney and Sophia, it's 'Hold On' by Sarah McLachlan."  
  
[Hold on Hold on to yourself for this is gonna hurt like hell Hold on Hold on to yourself you know that only time will tell What is it in me that refuses to believe this isn't easier than the real thing My love you know that you're my best friend you know I'd do anything for you My love let nothing come between us My love for you is strong and true Am I in heaven here or am I ... at the crossroads I am standing So now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray that you'll be strong tomorrow and we'll see another day and we will praise it and love the light that brings a smile across your face Oh god if you're out there won't you hear me I know that we've never talked before oh god the man I love is leaving won't you take him when he comes to your door Am I in heaven here or am I in hell at the crossroads I am standing So now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray that you'll be strong tomorrow and we'll see another day and we will praise it and love the light that brings a smile across your face... Hold on hold on to yourself for this is gonna hurt like hell.]  
  
She sat there on the chair with her hand over her mouth, her heart in her throat. The pain was so great in her chest that she choked on it as she attempted to push the tears back and couldn't. The wet droplets slipped down her cheeks and over her fingers.   
  
The words and meaning behind the song was like a slap in the face to her happiness, the horrible pain that.....   
  
Fumbling the receiver with shaking hands she dialed the number knowing that it was a stupid move but god, she needed him.   
  
"Hello?" The sleepy voice answered.   
  
"Jason," she gasped out, in an attempt to stop crying.  
  
"Trini?" he was awake in an instant. "What is it? Are you crying?"  
  
"Can I come over?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper for she knew she would start bawling like a baby if she...   
  
"Now?" he asked, glancing at the digital clock. "Its two in the morning."  
  
"Please? I need you." She bit her lip hard.  
  
"How about if I come over there? You don't sound like...."  
  
"I want to be there tonight."  
  
He nodded his head, willing to agree to anything just as long as it stopped her tears. "I'll be waiting on the driveway."  
  
"I love you." She whispered into the phone before hanging it up without waiting for an answer.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ August 3, 2004 Jason Scott's Residence 138 Haven Ave. East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason paced the length of his long drive way; he has been doing so since hung up the phone and pulling on a robe to wore away the cold night air. He didn't understand anything at the moment. Everything had been fine that afternoon, everyone was better than fine in fact. He was a man in love, engaged, and getting ready to close what could be one of the biggest deals in his life. If the Venetian project finishes up quickly enough, him and Trini could take a nice long honeymoon in the real Vienna.   
  
God, in all the strange and wondrous situations that he has faced in his relatively short and strange life, he could honestly say that this was unlike anything that he could have imagined in his life. He happier now than he's ever been. If anyone had thought to ask him if he could ever imagine himself being so in love with one of his best friends that he could hardly think straight, he would have laughed in their faces and probably secretly fantasized this perfect life that he has right this moment.   
  
He recalled considering not taking the job here. He was not so preoccupied as to miss the speeding car that rounded the corner with skill and caution.   
  
Trini was caught in his arms the minute she was out the car. She was out of breath and trembling from head to foot. She wanted to cry.   
  
"Sh...." He tightened his grip on her and smoothed her hair back. "Whatever it is, we'll get through it."  
  
"I love you." She gasped out, fighting the rising tide of fear that threatened to drown her. "Don't ever leave me."  
  
He frowned at her, wondering where all this fear was coming from. "I like to see anyone try to take me away from you."  
  
She shook her head. "Sometimes, it's out of our hands and..."  
  
"Hey," he kissed the salty tears away. "None of that now." He hugged her tight, trying to absorb the pain in her eyes. "Let's go in."  
  
Trini nodded her head, wanting nothing more than to be in his arms. The house was quiet as he carried her garment bag into the house. She was still wearing the thin nightgown she had been wearing as she was preparing for bed. The robe had been an afterthought.   
  
He pulled her toward the bed, with every intention of sitting her down and talking this out with her. But she had other ideas as her mouth closed urgently over his. In the split second that it took for her to close her eyes, he saw the need, the want, fear and pain, and was helpless against the rising need her nearness always managed to produce in him.   
  
They made love as only two hearts that beat as one could. It was lovingly tender and heart achingly wonderful. Each touch, each kiss, each contact was an affirmation of their devotion, their love sang to the world that they were of one. And as they both crested over the blinding edge of pleasure, each felt their very souls torn asunder, reforming and merging into single entity.   
  
Jason rolled over onto his back, bring her with him, and forced air back into his lungs. All the karate tournaments in the world were not nearly as exhilarating, nor nearly as tiring, as being in bed with Trini. "As much fun as that was, you want to tell me what's going on?"  
  
She stacked her palms on his chest and rested her chin on them. Looking him straight in the eye, she simply said it. "I'm pregnant."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Next time: "How the hell did this happen?!?" 


	45. Clearing the air

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: StarryStarry Night, Hanspam, Morgan and Priscilla, I don't know how you guys can put up with me this long and not want to either kill me or hate me but know that is't readers like you and makes me want to write. Thanks guys, your patience and your wonderful loyalty to this story makes it all worth while.   
  
Note: Hopefully five more chapters to go! Oh and a little notes. There are //flashbacks// in this chapter. You're recognize them when you see them.  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Forty-Five   
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
Jason blinked. It was as if someone came along and delivered a back kick to his head and knocked all thoughts from his mind. "I'm sorry, I think I may have heard you wrong."  
  
Trini shook her head, sure she had seen the look of utter disbelief on his face. "I don't think so."  
  
He blinked again. "You were crying earlier, was it cause of this?"  
  
"No, that was something else."  
  
"Oh," he nodded as if understanding but from the blank expression on his face, it was hard to tell if he knew what two plus two was. "Then when...."  
  
"Remember the doctor's call?" she asked a little rattled by the non-reaction. She didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned over his not reacting at all to the news. Anger, fear she could handle, but just nothing at all? She never counted on that.  
  
"Yesterday morning?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Why did you..." Then he shook his head. "Wait, Kim kicked me out didn't she?"  
  
"That would be correct," she tilted her head, her eyes clouded with confusion and just a hint of fear. "Jason?"  
  
Jason blinked again. Then as if someone dropped ice on him, he suddenly moved, putting her onto her back and leaned over her. "OH MY GOD! Are you all right? Are in any pain?" His eyes were almost wild as he ran his hand over her arms. "Are you warm enough? Do you want some water? Here," he pushed the pillow under her head, elevating her into a half sitting half laying position. Then he tucked the blanket tightly around her. "Aren't you suppose to be asleep by now? Don't pregnant people have to get lots of rest? I read that women get tired easy in their condition."  
  
Now it was Trini's turn to blink blankly at him. "Jason..."  
  
"Oh my god, are we even allow to have sex in your condition?"  
  
"Jason!" She laughed, finding the whole situation ridiculous now as he stared at her with all earnestness. "Stop, stop."  
  
"We should call a doctor and ask them if..." His brows knitted with concern.  
  
"I'm fine." She ran her hand over his brows, smoothing in with her touch. She chuckled as she leaned up and hugged him. An overwhelming sense of relief rushed through her. "Women have been giving births since before recorded time, I'm no different. It's is a natural process that will be...."  
  
"We should talk to Rocky. You are going to the doctor's tomorrow, right? I seem to recall you saying something about that. Aren't they supposed to do one of that amniocentesis or something to that effect right? It's standard now, right?" he glanced at the clock, it was just after three now. "I'm coming with you, I don't want you to do this alone. Always hate going to doctor's office and all. And you shouldn't be up so late, you need to rest more and get more fruits and vegetable and...."  
  
"Jason!" She kissed him hard enough to shut him out and shake him up enough to distract him. "Shut up for a second."  
  
He blinked and forced himself to relax his body. He almost lowered himself onto her but remember at the last second to roll to her side. "Are we allowed to be making love like that? For gosh sakes Trini, we just went ten rounds of ..."  
  
"Jason, relax." She said soothingly as she turned onto her side to face him. "Stop thinking for a second and answer a question for me first."  
  
He took a deep breath and nodded his head. "Go ahead, Angel."  
  
Trini smiled tentatively. "Are you happy about this?"  
  
"Happy?" He asked, disbelievingly. "Happy is a word used by fools and idiots that have never been in love. Happy doesn't even begin to cover what I feel right now." He sat up abruptly. "I was standing there this evening.... Ugh.. last evening thinking that my world would not be more perfect at this very moment in time. That there was nothing in this world that could make my life more wonderful than it is with you in it." He shook his head and laughed. "Then you came in here and proved me wrong with two little words."  
  
She was stunned to almost speechlessness. "So you're not angry or anything like that."  
  
Jason laughed. "I love you, Trini. And for a smart woman, you certainly have some warped beliefs. We're going to be married soon. What reason in this world would I have to be angry with the idea of expecting a child? It's only the most wonderful thing to happen to me since you knocked on my door with chocolate cake in one hand and a ready smile on your face."  
  
She smiled. "I love you."  
  
"And I'm happy, for lack of a better word."  
  
There was still a wistfulness in her eyes as she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. "You want this right?"  
  
"Didn't I just say that?" He asked, seeing the uncertainly in her eyes. "What is it? Tell me."  
  
"I was listening to the radio and there was a woman on. She was going to lose her husband and there was a song that they played and I...." She felt herself well up just thinking of it. "I don't know what I would do if I were to...."  
  
"Sh...." He pulled her close, being careful to be gentle with her. "Don't think like that. We're not gods, we don't know what's suppose to happen nor should we. But no matter what happens, just know that I'm here and I'll always be here for you."  
  
She swallowed her tears. "Jason, what if..."  
  
"No what if's," he smiled and kissed he top of her head and he cuddled her. "We don't speculate. We simply live our lives to the very fullest and thank everyday that we have together."  
  
Trini nodded her head and closed her arms around him, moved against him. "Make love to me again, Jason. I know you are nervous about the baby but I want to...." She didn't need to ask twice.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Oh lord," Kimberly muttered and pulled the note off of Trini's door. She had spent the entire night tossing and turning, missing Tommy's strong body next to her in bed. And now this... "Tanya! Aisha! Trini is at Jason's. She says that if we want breakfast from her, to go over there."  
  
Tanya rubbed her eyes open. "What the heck is she doing over there?"  
  
"Probably getting her fill of her man," Aisha said with a grin as she yawned and stretched appreciatively. "Something I should have been doing yesterday."  
  
"You complaining about the spree?" Tanya asked with a grin.  
  
"Heck no!" Aisha got up slowly and pulled on the robe. "Okay, so we change and head over to the guys?"  
  
"No thanks," Kimberly shook her head and headed for the kitchen. "Coffee and toast is good enough for me. I don't want to run into Tommy this morning."  
  
"Still mad?"  
  
"Not really," the former pink ranger sighed. "I'm just not ready to talk to him yet. I know that I love him and want to be with him, but right now...."  
  
"Too fresh of a wound?" Aisha concluded.  
  
"Yeah, something like that."  
  
Tanya sighed. "Well, then we understand. How about coffee for three then?"  
  
"Sounds good," she grinned and looked at Aisha. "I'd understand if you want to go over and talk to Rocky some. I know the two of you have a lot to talk about today."  
  
"Don't remind me," Aisha groaned. "Okay, I'm not ready yet so make that coffee."  
  
"You're going to have to." Tanya rolled up her sleeping bag neatly. "The sooner you tell him, the sooner the two of you can make plans. Plus once you've gauged his reaction, you can call up the director and tell him that you won't be coming on the Rwanda thing." She sighed. "Who the hell is going to help me with the male ass kicking now?"  
  
Kimberly laughed. "If things don't work out for Tommy and me, I'll come join you."  
  
Tanya grinned at her. "If things don't work out for you two, I'll come back and kick his ass."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"HA! I knew my nose won't lie to me!" Rocky grinned as he came into the kitchen wearing only his pajamas. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Trini grinned as she scooped up the eggs from the skillet and dumped them on the plate beside the stove. "Good morning to you too, Rocky. What would you like for breakfast?"  
  
"Anything you're making," he replied pouring coffee. "And don't avoid the question."  
  
"Question?" She turned with a hand over the toaster oven, warming her fingers. "Oh I'm sorry, was there a question in there that I was under obligation to answer under the New Jersey civil codes?"  
  
"Rocky, don't banter words with a lawyer," Adam advised with a yawn. "You'll lose badly."  
  
"Always worked with Tommy," Rocky pouted as he took a sip of the coffee and made a face. "Bagh! This is so watery."  
  
Adam smiled weakly at him as he poured himself a cup. "Some people don't like to brew their coffee until it can stand up and do the cha-cha. We like to be able to feel our tongues after the first.... Ugh!" He rushed to sink and spit out the mouth full of brown liquid. "Trini, what the hell was that?"  
  
She smiled and popped up a pair of golden brown toast and a jar of strawberry jelly on the table. "That is decaf."  
  
"Decaf?" Rocky and Adam exchanged looks of horror. "You made decaf?"  
  
"You guys drink too much caffeine." She sat down and spread jam on toast and poured herself some juice.   
  
"How could you be so cruel?" Rocky whined and automatically took another sip only to choke on the taste.  
  
"We do not," Adam argued. "Besides, I think my patients would prefer me to be awake when I'm examining them."  
  
"That's another thing," Trini pointed her bread at him. "Shouldn't a doctor know better than to load their bodies up with junk food, alcohol and caffeine?"  
  
Billy grinned as he pushed he door open. "Okay guys, what did you do now?" He leaned down and kissed Trini on he cheek. "Good morning, thank you for breakfast."  
  
"You're welcome," she smiled and patted the seat next to her. "What's got you so happy?"  
  
"Life." Billy grabbed a plate and piled on eggs and golden-hashed potatoes. "What's you're excuse?"  
  
Trini laughed and went back to her breakfast.   
  
"What's wrong with you two?" Billy asked a he poured coffee.  
  
Rocky considered not telling him but decided against it. "Careful, it's decaf."  
  
Billy looked at the pot, Trini and at the two disgruntled men. "Oh, I see." He sat down after adding a generous helping of cream to his brown death. "I take it you think that we're drinking too much caffeine?"  
  
"Yes." She nodded her head and finished her juice. "And you need to eat more, too skinny, all of you."  
  
"Whom are you yelling at now?" Jason asked as he finished tying his tie into a neat knot at the base of his throat. "Hum... I love it when you are around, only time I get anything decent in the food." He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Have some more juice."  
  
"I've already had a cup," she said getting up to put away the dishes.   
  
"I'll take that," Jason said snatching the silverware from her hands. "Sit down and rest. You've done enough for the day."  
  
"Really?" Trini tilted her head and looked at him carefully. "You don't expect me to be one of those stay-at-home wives do you?"  
  
Jason sipped the coffee carefully. Unlike the others, he wasn't too surprised at the fact that the coffee tasted like watered down mud. "You know, I do make more than enough to...." The glare from the woman he loved shut him up properly. "Then again, whatever makes you happy is fine with me."  
  
Billy laughed. "And that ladies and gentlemen is how you handle a difficult situation in a relationship."   
  
"Rub it in why don't you, Billy." Tommy grumbled darkly as he headed for the food. The man looked like he wrestled with the devil all night and loss badly. "Coffee?"  
  
"Decaf." Rocky replied taking pity on the man. He may have missed Aisha last night but at least he knew that Aisha would forgive him soon enough.   
  
Grunting, Tommy rubbed his face with his hand and poured the coffee anyways. "How's Kim?" Directing the question to Trini who replied with a raised brow. "That mad, huh?"  
  
She shrugged and got up to get ready for work. "Jason, where did you put my suitcase?"  
  
"Upstairs by the bed," he replied making a face and pouring the rest of his coffee down the drain. Not even his love for her is going to make him finish the cup. "Don't lift anything, I'll get it for you."  
  
Trini rolled her eyes and ignored him completely.  
  
Jason opened his mouth to stop her but decided against it. The look he got from her as she walked out the kitchen door was enough to let me him that if he tried to smoother her with protective gestures, she'd show him just how helpless she was on a yoga mat. Getting her suitcase was not worth being turned into a human bruise later.  
  
"What was that all about?" Billy asked, watching them with interest. He's never really had a serious human relationship, and no one can ever call him a people person.  
  
"Nothing," Jason said with a wave of his hand he loaded up the dishwasher. "Last one to leave the house, start the machine, okay?"  
  
"No problem," Rocky replied since he was usually the last to leave. "I've got to type up that letter so I won't be into the office before ten today."  
  
Tommy frowned and bit into a piece of toast. "What letter?"  
  
"My letter of resignation." Rocky said making a fast as he instinctively took another sip of coffee.  
  
"Wait," Billy sat up his eyes gleaming behind the lens of his spectacles. "You're quitting your job?"  
  
"Who's quitting what?" Trini asked, catching Billy's comment.  
  
Rocky grinned. "I'm quitting my job."  
  
"Why? I thought you love being reporter." Jason said as he took Trini's bags from her and reached for his coat. "Why the sudden change?"  
  
"I'm going to Rwanda with Aisha." He nodded his head to show his seriousness.  
  
Trini stumbled over the chair she had been pulling out to sit in making Jason jump in reaction. She threw him a look, which he returned with a helpless shrug before turning back to Rocky. "Huh... Rocky, maybe you should talk to Aisha first."  
  
"Why, you think she's be against the idea of me coming?" Rocky asked, the sudden look of concern in his eyes was rather troublesome.   
  
"No, I don't think she'd be against the idea. I just think that you should talk to her first."   
  
"Trini," Billy asked, his eyes narrowed with speculation. "What do you know that we don't?"  
  
The young lawyer smiled innocently at her friend. "Now what makes you think that...."  
  
"Cause you can keep a secret like no body's business."  
  
Rocky leaned forward suddenly. "Trini, please."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Aisha announced yesterday that she's handing in her resignation to Peace Corp so that she can stay here with Rocky." She grinned now at the sudden look on man in question's face. "We all thought she should talk to you first before making any kind of rash decision. She's got the letter all typed out and ready for a stamp. Tanya made her promise to talk to you first. Good thing too."  
  
A grinning Adam reached over the closed Rocky's mouth with a snap click of the jaw.   
  
There was a stunned silence as Rocky absorbed this news and the others waited to see his reaction  
  
"How the hell did this happen?!?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Witman and Jones Inc.  
369 Belmont Blvd., Suite 1200  
New York City, New York  
  
"Mr. Oliver?" Amy Wilson looked tentatively at her boss with some concern. "Do you want me to go over the schedule with you this morning?"  
  
Tommy sighed and pulled his gaze from the window. "Yeah, go ahead Amy."  
  
"You have Mr. Drakes at 10:00 on the signing of the account information. Ms. Cartwright at 10:30 for the overview of her profile. Mr. and Mrs. Davis at 1:00 for their retirement plan setup. Mr. van den Bosugh at 3:30 to open up double education IRA's for his kids. And Ms. O'Neill at 4:30 for her settlement signing for the defined benefits account." Amy looked at to see a distracted Tommy jotting down notes on this pad of paper. "Sir?"  
  
Tommy sighed; he was having trouble concentrating on things today. "Amy, could you cancel my morning appointment? Or having someone cover for me, I need to take care of something."  
  
"Yes sir," Amy glanced down at her appointment book. "Do you want me to try to squeeze them in to this afternoon's...."  
  
"No, reschedule them all." He sighed and threw his pen down. "Could you give me ten minutes?"  
  
"All right, sir." She left the room quickly.   
  
Tommy sighed and leaned back into his chair. Knowing his own disposition, he was unlikely to get anything productive done at the moment. His mind kept wondering back to Kimberly and his conversation with his mother the night before.   
  
//"Tommy, I swear you're just like your father." His mother had admonished with a great deal of exasperation. "He was as big of a bone head as you are when he was your age."//  
  
//"Mom!"//  
  
//"Oh don't sound so shocked!" She laughed. "You're so your father's son. He did something so similar when he and I were dating."//  
  
//"Really?" he also thought his parents were such a perfect match. "What did he do?"//  
  
//"Three weeks after we started dating, he told me he didn't date blondes for their intelligence. Being a natural blonde, obviously I was offended by that." She laughed with great amusement. "I had temper like nothing else you've seen and dumped an entire bottle of red wine on his head. Took him three weeks to convince me that it was one of his stupid moments cause he felt himself falling in love too quickly and he was scared. It was his strange way of trying to rationalize his own understanding of the situation and it just came out all wrong."//  
  
//"So what did you do, Mom?"//  
  
//"Oh I made him beg for a while before I forgave him. Then he proposed the next day."//  
  
//"Were you in love with him then, Mom?"//  
  
//"Of course I was. I was nuts over your father, why else would I have been so angry?//  
  
Tommy sighed. He was going to have to do something drastic to get Kimberly to forgive him. Something that would totally make her want to....  
  
"Amy!"  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Cancel the rest of my appointments. I'm going to be out all day. Oh, get the number for a caterer and a florist."  
  
Amy's face contorted in puzzlement. "Sir?"  
  
"Please."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Rocky, I don't want you to have to..." Aisha started after the stunned silence.   
  
"But I want to!" Rocky took hold of her hands and pulled her told him. Sitting there in the living room with Aisha facing him, he wondered why he even thought of backing out on this. He loved his job yes, but he knows that he loved Aisha more. And being part of the Peace Corp was so important to her he knew that. What was a little thing like his job compared to her happiness? "I want to be with you. I'm sure I can sign up for the Peace Corp or something. Hey, do they need a chief?"  
  
Aisha laughed. "You'd kill us all with your cooking." She leaned against him, feeling the heat of his body against hers. "I just don't want you to ever regret having to give up something for me. I know that writing for the news has been your dream job next to being a karate champion...."  
  
"Wrong," he shook his head. "Being with you is more important to me than anything as materialistic as gold trophy or the Pulitzer Prize. You're be surprised how one can live on love alone."  
  
"We can't live on love alone." Tucking her head under his chin, she wondered what goddess up in heaven was watching out over her and given her this wonderful man that's made her life so wonderfully bright when only a week ago she had been so.... "I love you, Rocky."  
  
"You know, I think I can really get use to hearing that from your lips."  
  
"Well, you're going to be hearing it a lot from me."  
  
"Think the others are going to be very...."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, with me going and Billy leaving in three days for Australia, we're leaving Jason kind of in a lurch."  
  
"Ney," she waved it away easily. "Jason makes more than enough money for six people. He and Trini will be getting married soon, they're going to want that house to themselves."  
  
"True. Wonder what's going to happen to.... Hey, maybe Trini will sell Adam this condo. You and I can chip in and have a place to stay when we come off assignments. I'm sure Billy can't go in on it once he comes back from Australia."  
  
Aisha turned to grin at him. "And what makes you think he's coming back?"  
  
Rocky turned to look down at her, surprised by her sly grin. "You think he's going to stay there?"  
  
"Why not? It's not he's tied down to anyplace at the moment. And Kat.... Well, she could definitely persuade him to stay."  
  
"Aisha Campbell, what do you know that I don't?"  
  
She giggled. "Kat is going to want to keep him there, all to herself. She may not know it yet but I got a feeling that Billy and her are only at the beginning of their relationship."  
  
"A brand new start for the two of them without all the power ranger business to interfere with life?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" She snuggled in closer. "When did you say you had to report in?"  
  
"At noon."  
  
"Hum... that gives us another two hours."  
  
Rocky laughed. "Hey, only one of us gets to have such ideas and it's going to be me!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "You know how Kim can be when she's got her lying-guy radar up." 


	46. The things we do for love

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: To Eliza, my impatient friend. One more phone call from you at two in the morning and I'm taking you off my list of Christmas gifts! Just kidding. Love you lots and know that I always appreciate you thoughtful hot cocoas at midnight, even if it just to grill me for information on my stories.   
  
Note: As everyone can see, this story is making a wrap up soon. And although there have been some e-mails about wanting to see scenes with Billy and Kat actually face-to-face, I'm afraid that it's not going to happen in this fan fiction. Though if anyone wants to take up the task, I certainly won't mind. Just tell me first, okay?   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Forty-Six   
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"I got it, I got it," Zack muttered into the phone as he jotted another note down on the quickly growing list. "You k now you're so going to owe me for this."  
  
"I know, I know." Tommy said as he hooked the phone over his shoulder and dug out his keys from his jacket pocket. "I'm headed that way now and should be there in time to meet with the caterers. Just get her there by six and all is well."  
  
"I can't guarantee you the time, Tommy. You know how Kim can be when she's got her lying-guy radar up." Zack said with a grin. "But I'll certainly give it a good try. Don't be surprised if you find me in the hospital tomorrow."  
  
"Don't worry, Adam will have you patched up in no time flat. And thanks man, and you're welcome to came back to New Jersey for a visit anytime. Bring your lady next time."   
  
"Don't think I won't take you up on that offer."  
  
"You're family. You can even have keys."  
  
"No thanks, I'll end up losing them anyways. I'll talk to you once I've got all the stuff." He glanced out the window at Trini's little car. "Meet you there in an hour."  
  
"Thanks, Zack."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
West Life Medical Center  
50 Greenway Avenue  
New York, New York  
  
"Could you please sit down, you're making me nervous." Trini said quietly as she watched a young woman, no older than eighteen, gently rub the beach ball of a belly covered in a pale pink fleece pullover. I wonder if they make business suits in maternity wear. That would definitely be an interesting fashion statement.  
  
"Sorry," Jason stuffed his hands into his pocket and sat down just a little too quickly by Trini. He'd rather give a hundred more presentation than sit there calmly waiting for some stranger to tell him if his soon-to-be wife and child are in good health. "I'm kind of feeling jittery."  
  
She smiled and reached over to link fingers with him. "You're not the one carrying this child."  
  
He nodded and took a couple of deep breath. If it was possible, Trini appeared to be more radiant than she's ever been. She was watching the world with a kind of serenity that left him breathless as well as nervous. His life was about to be come a whole lot different and though he was sure that it was for the better, he was also sure that it will not be something he could learn overnight or cram for at four in the morning. This was the real deal. "You want something to drink?"  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then no." She sat back and picked up a decorating magazine filled with baby materials. "You know, I think Kim might be able to give us some advise on decorating the baby's room."   
  
"Yeah," he agreed and looked at the picture of a cherubim baby with a green fuzzy sweater. "Why can't we tell them again?"  
  
"Because it's bad luck to tell anyone until after the first trimester." She explained again and pointed to a collection of toy puppies in various shapes and sizes. "Wouldn't that look so cute on one of those hammock shelves?"  
  
"Yeah, we can get one of those," he nodded and glanced up to see a young couple walked out of the examining room. The young man looked to be suffering from morning sickness. And Jason knew exactly how he was feeling and why. "Why is it bad luck?"  
  
She bit her lip. Trini had been hoping against hope that he wouldn't bring it up. "In case I should have a miscarriage. Eighty-three percent of all miscarriage occur during the first trimester, sometimes without any reason at all."  
  
He was staring at her now as if she had just told him that she was going to use her head as a bowling ball. "Nothing is going to happen to you or the baby!"   
  
"Sh..." She pulled him down from his half risen position. It was only then that he realized that he had said it a little too loudly and was now the center of attention in the room. "Will you please keep it down? You're freaking people out. I'm not saying that anything is going to happen. It's just one of those statistics that.... I'm not going.... Oh for god sakes!" She leaned back into her chair exasperated.   
  
Jason felt his heart gave a little lurch and sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just..."  
  
"Nervous?"  
  
"Yeah, you can say that." He smiled at her weakly. "I love you."  
  
"Me too." She kissed the tip of his nose. "And nothing is going to happen. I'm fine, the baby's fine, you're fine, everything is going so wonderfully well right now that... like you said last night, let's not borrow trouble."  
  
"Okay, I'll try not to freak out on you anymore. But you will allow me a few moments of insanity though cause you know I'm not going to be able to help myself." He grinned sweetly at him, so adorably boyish with his twinkling eyes wearing a three hundred dollar suit. "And I'll promise to help with all those strange cravings that women are suppose to have during their pregnancy."  
  
"You mean like pickled onions at three in the morning?" She grinned.   
  
"Pickled onions?" He made a face. "And I thought Rocky's midnight snacks are strange."  
  
"What does he eat?"  
  
"Green tomatoes with mayo."   
  
"Bugh!" She shuttered at the thought then straightened her shoulders as a petite woman came through the door wearing a lab coat.   
  
"Trini," the maternal smile on the doctor's face put some of Jason's fears to rest. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Good, better than good in fact." Trini reached out and took Jason's hand. "Dr. Chabay, this is Jason Scott. Jason is the father. Jason, Dr. Chabay has been taking care of me since I hit New York."  
  
"Doctor," he held out his hand and she shook it with a confident grip.   
  
"Mr. Scott, you're a lucky man." She smiled at him as her eyes strayed to the diamond on Trini's hand. The woman does not miss a thing.  
  
"I know it. And please, call me Jason." He took a deep breath. "So, tell me how my baby is doing."  
  
"Which baby would that be?" The doctor answered with a smile gesturing first to Trini then to her still flat as a board stomach.   
  
Somehow that one little joke seemed to make everything all better.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Tommy Oliver's New House  
85236 Wellington Drive  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Oh shit! Completely forgot about getting a frig." Tommy grabbed his laptop and plugged it into the DSL connection on the wall. "I'm glad I told the Neimans to leave all the utilities on before they left. I didn't want the trouble of having someone come out here and turn everything on again."  
  
"You're crazy, you know that?" Zack said as he continued his task of taking out little clear glass dishes for the massive amount of pillar candles Tommy had asked him to pick up on his way in.   
  
"Only crazy in love, my friend." He grinned as he started the computer. "Sears delivers, right?"  
  
The original black ranger rolled his eyes and pulled out rose scented potpourri and dumped it into a glass bowl with a bass stand. "Normal people don't take the day off work and planned this kind of elaborate, romantic gesture for their girlfriends even if they were idiots. A nice diamond tennis bracelet would do the trick as well you know. This kind of thing only happens in movies, soap operas and sappy fan fictions."  
  
Tommy looked up with a puzzled frown. "Fan what?"  
  
Opening up another bag of potpourri, he sincerely hope the fragrant herbs can mask the massive amount of cleaners used in the past hour by a truck load of cleaning crew to bring the house up to sparkling perfection. "Fan fictions. You know, the stories fans write about their favorite television shows and heroes."  
  
"People do that?" Tommy smiled as he found the kind of frig he liked; stainless steel with massive freezer room for ice cream. "I hope it's in stock."  
  
"Sure they do," Zack glanced out the window and watched as six gardeners trimmed and cleaned the lawn and yard. "You should read some of the stuff they have on the Power Rangers."  
  
Tommy laughed. "Secret addiction, Zack?"  
  
Holding up a pink long stemmed rose threatening, he pointed it at Tommy. "Hey, don't diss the fan fics!"  
  
"Wouldn't think of it!" Tommy picked up his cell phone. "Hello, Sears?"  
  
Zack took his head and took the two prepared potpourri pots to the next room. He grinned as he tried to picture the surprise on Kimberly's face when she sees all the trouble Tommy went through just for her. It was strange that after all this time, he still thought of her as the little girl with long pigtails that use to do cartwheels in the jungle gym. He couldn't really remember a time when she wasn't a part of his life. In many ways, she was the younger sister that he never had. Just as Trini was the older sister he never had. And Jason and Billy were the brothers that he would share things with. They might all have grown up and lead different lives, but there was no doubt in his mind that this was one family he could always count on if ever in need. He was going to miss them when he left.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Dermont, Boyle and Malone Law Office  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 800  
New York City, New York  
  
"Remember what the doctor said about resting more." Jason said as he talked Trini back to her office after a quick lunch at the deli, where he would only let her have half a sandwich. "And we have to start watching your diet to make sure that you're getting the right kinds of nutrient."  
  
"Are you going to be like this through the whole pregnancy?" Trini said with a grin. It was strange having him so overly protective. But what was even stranger was she was not getting signs of panic with his smothering her. Not two months ago, she'd run as fast as her legs could carry her to get a restraining order against any guy that wanted to wrap her up in skin and keep her from ever having to lift a finger. But now....  
  
"Probably," he muttered seriously as he studied the labels on the prenatal vitamins the doctor had given them. "And we should seriously think about that whole amniocentesis thing."  
  
"Nobody is sticking a giant needle into my stomach!" She said with a shake of her head. "Forget it!"  
  
"Trini," he turned and shut the door first. Leaning over her desk, he put his face toward hers so that they were eye to eye. "We don't know what our exposure to the morphing grid did to our bodies. I don't want our child to have any surprises in life if our being part of the Power Rangers somehow changed our molecular structure and we're simply not showing signs of it." He frowned. "Remember all the problems I had after losing the Gold Ranger powers?"  
  
Trini looked away, her eyes dark with concern now. "I hadn't thought about that." And truly, it's been so long since her ranger days that she hadn't remember thought about the side effects of being exposed to alien artifacts. "We should talk to Adam and Billy then."  
  
Jason touched her face, bringing her eyes back to his. "I'm sure everything is fine. But I want to be one hundred percent sure that we've done everything possible to bring a healthy child into this world."  
  
She nodded her head in complete agreement. "Okay, then we do everything we can for it." She smiled suddenly. "Do you want a boy or a girl?"  
  
"I don't care," he shrugged and leaned back to smile at her. "What ever it is, I'm sure they will be beautiful."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." He nodded in complete confidence. "How can they not be? They were conceived in love."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"We got it," Aisha said into the phone. "Will you relax? Everything will go over smoothly." She looked over at Tanya as she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "We'll do our part as long as you do yours. Yes, yes, six o'clock sharp and we'll inform Trini and Jason, whenever we get a hold of either of them. Good-bye." She hung up the phone with a sigh. "Tommy has gone crazy."  
  
Tanya laughed as Aisha flopped onto the couch with her. "I think it's kind of romantic what he's doing. Not everyday you see something that we can only dream about or go see in a movie."  
  
"Yeah, it would be nice and all if he didn't keep calling every ten minutes with reminders and things to do." Aisha laughed and picked up a magazine. "So... about Rwanda...."  
  
"I cannot believe he's coming with us!" She hugged herself in excitement. "Better warn him about the toilet problems."  
  
"You mean about the fact that most places don't have any?"   
  
"Yeah, and the food problem."  
  
Aisha groaned. "We're going to have to air lift food in for that bottomless pit. Why are we happy that he's going again?"  
  
Tanya giggled and leaned against her friend. "Cause you're in love."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Really?" Kat laughed with delight. "That's wonderful!"  
  
"Yeah," Billy shifted the phone to his other shoulder as he shut the door with his heel. "Rocky and Aisha are really going to make a new start of this."  
  
"Well, I'm happy for those two. It's about time if you ask me." Kat tossed the small bowl of salad and carried it to her lonely kitchen table. "When do they leave?"  
  
"Tomorrow," he glanced at his watch. "Zack is leaving as well, rehearsals start the day after that."  
  
"Ouch, he's cutting it close."  
  
"I know but I think he's having too much fun here and rather reluctant to leave quite yet." He pulled out the juice and butter to replaced the ones that had been used in the morning. A small blue note was attached to the frig. "Hum..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Note from Zack, he's at Tommy's."   
  
"Tommy's?" Kat put the glass down and stared at the window.   
  
"Yeah," he frowned. "I'm supposed to come over as soon as I can to help out."  
  
"Help out with what?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"What is the boy planning?"  
  
"Kat, your guess is as good as mine and I'm guessing it has to do with Kimberly."  
  
Kat shook her head. "I think you may be right. And whatever it is, it better work."  
  
"Yeah," he laughed then sobered quickly. "You really are okay, aren't you?" It more a statement than question, as if confirming something he long suspected.   
  
"Yeah," she shook her head. "I really am."  
  
Billy nodded. "I'm glad you know, that the two of you are okay."  
  
"I always knew that we'd all be friends, no matter what happened."  
  
"Did you?"  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
"Did you think that you're life would be so different?"  
  
"No, I think I believed that after leaving the Ranger business, nothing could ever really throw me again. But then I never thought that life would be so difficult to deal with. Give me simple fights any day over these emotional turbulence of life."  
  
"That was very philosophical of you."  
  
"I try every now and then. So, when do you arrive here?"  
  
"Nine o'clock in the morning."  
  
"We'll have lunch and do some site seeing."  
  
"Don't you work?" He asked even though he was looking forward to a little alone time to gage what is going to happen.  
  
"Yeah, but for you, I'm willing to play hooky."  
  
Billy laughed. "Ah, that's my girl."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Miller and Hoffman Architectural Company  
300 Guttenberg Avenue, Suite 1000  
New York City, New York  
  
"Ten messages?" Jason frowned. "I was only gone for an hour and a half."  
  
Karen shrugged and made a non-commitment about turning on cell phones.   
  
Shutting the door to his office, he picked up the phone and dialed.   
  
"Hello?" The hurried voice said distractedly.  
  
"Tommy, what the hell could be so important for you to have left ten messages with my secretary?"  
  
"If you had your cell phone on I won't have had to...."  
  
"I was having lunch with Trini."  
  
"Yeah, yeah..." A crash brought a groan from him. "Listen, I need a favor."  
  
Sensing that this was big, Jason nodded. "Go ahead."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"Why do we have to do it now?" Kimberly asked as she sat her briefcase down on the couch wondering where the girls went off to.   
  
"Cause I'm leaving tomorrow and I really want to see it before I go." Zack explained with a pleading look of understanding.  
  
"Then ask Tommy to show you the house, he bought it." She sat down and pulled off the three-inch heels that threatened to cripple her.   
  
"Tommy hasn't come home yet." He pray that the exhaustion he sees in her face would keep her from examining too closely at his pathetic attempt at lying through his teeth.   
  
Kimberly whimpered. "Zack, I'm so tired right now."  
  
"Please, Kim." He begged glancing at the clock. It was five minutes to six now. "For your favorite former black ranger?"  
  
She gave him a fond smile. "Who said you were my favorite?" Then got up. "Oh all right. We'll go see the house."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Tommy Oliver's New House  
85236 Wellington Drive  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Why is there light in the house?" Kimberly mumbled as she opened the white low picket fence. "I thought I saw the old owners move out last week."  
  
"Why don't we knock on the door and see?" Zack suggested with his most winning smile.  
  
Turing around, she gave her old friend a good frown. "Zachary Nathaniel Taylor! What are you up to?"  
  
Zack's brows went up. "How did you know my middle name?"  
  
"I know a lot of things about you that you may not want me to know about. Now answer the question."  
  
"And what question would that be?" Giving her his most innocent smile.  
  
"ZACK!"  
  
"What?" he pointed to the door. "Why don't you just open the door and save both of us a lot of grief, okay? Trust me." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, as an older brother would do to their younger sister when being sage and comforting. "I wouldn't ever do anything to purposely hurt you. Now go."   
  
He gave her a good shove to get her feet moving then stood by the fence until she opened the door, at which point he turned round and watched toward Jason's.  
  
Kimberly has never been one to be timid when it came to life but the fact was that this was Tommy's house, the one he had brought for the two of them. That fact itself warmed her to no end. She loved Tommy and all his quirkiness but the fight had bothered her. He didn't want to see her point of view, didn't want to understand why the idea of marriage, something she was sure either one of them is ready for, was important to her even if she was unwilling to jump into it with both feet.   
  
All other thoughts were lost as she gaped open mouthed at the sight before her.   
  
The glossy oak floor of the foyer was littered with pink and white rose petals, sending up a sinfully romantic fragrance. Glass plates of various sizes and shapes help an array of candles, throwing soft illumination throughout the house. The rich tones of a song she had long forgotten whiffed through the air, leading her to the nearly empty living room where a glass table with a set of dinner for two awaited her.   
  
Standing by the table, a pink long stem, one of many dozens in crystal vases throughout the room, in hand stood Tommy. Her white knight was dressed as any good modern good knight should be, in a stark white tuxedo that appeared to have been tailored made for him.   
Don't pretend you're sorry  
I know you're not  
You know you got the power  
To make me weak inside  
And girl you leave me breathless  
But it's ok  
Cuz you are my survival  
Now hear me say  
I can't imagine  
Life without your love  
And even forever  
Don't seem like long enough  
Cuz everytime I breathe I take you in  
And my heart beats again  
Baby I can't help it  
You keep me drowning in your love  
And everytime I try to rise above  
I'm swept away by love  
Baby I can't help it  
You keep me drowning in your love  
Maybe I'm a drifter  
Maybe not  
Cuz I have known the safety  
Of floating freely in your arms  
I don't need another life line  
It's not for me  
Cuz only you can save me  
Oh, can't you see  
I can't imagine  
Life without your love  
And even forever  
Don't seem like long enough  
Cuz everytime I breathe I take you in  
And my heart beats again  
Baby I can't help it  
You Keep Me Drowning In Your Love  
And everytime I try to rise above  
I'm swept away by love  
Baby I can't help it  
You Keep Me Drowning In Your Love  
Go on and pull me under  
Cover me with dreams (yeah)  
Love me mouth to mouth (now)  
You know I can't resist  
Cuz you're the air that I breathe  
Everytime I breathe I take you in  
And my heart beats again  
Baby I can't help it  
You Keep Me Drowning In Your Love  
Everytime I try to rise above  
I'm swept away by love  
Baby I can't help it  
You Keep Me Drowning In Your Love  
Baby I can't help it  
You Keep Me Drowning In Your Love  
Everytime I breathe I take you in   
And my heart beats again  
Baby I can't help it  
You Keep Me Drowning In Your Love  
Everytime I try to rise above  
I'm swept away by love  
Baby I can't help it  
You Keep Me Drowning In Your Love  
"Kim?" Tommy watched her with eyes that took in every detail of her tired face.   
  
"Tommy," she reached out to take the rose, her favorite in the world next to daisies, which she could see would hardly be as romantic as the pink and white roses. "It's beautiful."  
  
"It's nothing compared to you." He wanted to reach out and touch her face but was afraid that a simple touch could never be enough. "I'm sorry for what happened."  
  
"I know." She smiled, "I can see it in your eyes." Looking around the room, she sighed with contentment. "You didn't need to do all this you know. A simple note with the words 'I'm sorry' would have done the trick."  
  
"Yeah, I know." He took her hand then and led her to her seat. "But a little something extra seemed important to me. You've always done what is right and what you thought would be the best thing for me and I've never shown you the kind of.... I've never treated you the way you were meant to be treated, like a princess."  
  
Kimberly wondered if her heart was going to beat through her ribcage. "I never needed that."  
  
"But you deserved it." He reached around the plates and pulled a black velvet box from behind a plate of salad greens. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for marriage yet, but I'm ready for the commitment it takes to have you in my life right now and for always."  
  
She opened the box with apprehension, sure that it was not a ring due to the size, and gasped at the wonderfully beautiful heart locket inside. "Oh Tommy...."  
  
Tommy grinned, knowing that the admiration in her eyes said that Jason made a very wise choice for him. "You are my heart and I want you to know that you have mine."  
  
"If the word love could describe the incredible feeling I have right now, I think it would be such a pity. I can never put into words how much you mean to me, nor would I ever want to." She touched the locket again and looked at him. "Marriage is not the end all of things. We'll get there when we get there. But right now, all I need is you."  
  
"Then you have me, for always."  
  
"I love you."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Okay, another teaser line for you to wet your appetite, just don't kill me okay?  
  
"Has either Jason or Trini said anything about a wedding date?" 


	47. Last Minutes

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Jacks, you and your crazy Christmas jingles. Thanks for all the great inspiration and encouragement. I always look forward to your long e-mails. And when is the next story coming out?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Forty-Seven  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Do you think everything went well last night?" Aisha asked as she helped Rocky do quick packing. Although she had told him that they would be leaving today, by midnight last evening, he still hadn't packed away so much as a pair of clean underwear.   
  
"Well, since there was no frantic phone calls from Kim yesterday, I'd say it went off very well." Rocky grinned at her from the mirror and pulled out socks that he was sure needed to be washed but no time for that now. "I think we may be attending a double wedding when we come back."  
  
"Which reminds me," Aisha said turning around with a pair of Rocky's boxers in her hands. "Has either Jason or Trini said anything about a wedding date?"  
  
"Oh come, Sha." Rocky said pulled he boxers away from her since she was waving them around like a flag to make her point. "They just got together not two days ago, give them some time to let everything sink in first before asking about how they would want for the wedding." He frowned then. "Do they even need anything for since both of them own places of their own and definitely don't need contributions from the rest of us mere working stiffs?"  
  
"Yes but we do need the date so we know how to plan a return. Did you know that you had to submit a request for leave three months ahead of time?"  
  
He looked at her horrified. "You're kidding?"  
  
"I kid you not!" She pulled tee shirts out from the bottom drawer. "And you can leave the sweaters. You're so not going to be needing those."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"I can't believe you guys are leaving today," Adam grumbled as he fiddled with his coffee cup. He had convinced Trini that while she believed they needed to cut back on caffeine, they did not. After half an hour, she relented. "I like having you all around."  
  
"Well," Zack grinned. "There's always Christmas."  
  
"And you will be coming for the holidays, right?" Trini asked as she cracked three eggs into a bowl and proceeded to mix with a pair of chopsticks.   
  
"Absolutely!" Tanya grinned and fished out a piece of paper. "Oh, and here's my wish list."  
  
Trini laughed as Adam and Zack stared at the list in horror.  
  
"What do you need with a rain stick?" Zack asked. "New Jersey rains every three days."  
  
"Yes but I'm not always here."  
  
Adam grinned and pointed to the third one on the list. "A corset?"  
  
"Victoria's Secrets have very nice ones under a hundred dollars." Tanya said with a grin. "I love those things, they make me feel real sexy."  
  
Adam laughed. "Tanya, most men think you're sexy even without seeing you in a turn of the century corset."  
  
"Really? Then how come I can't get a decent date on Saturday night?"  
  
Zack shook his head and poured himself some coffee. "Probably because you work in third world countries where no man can afford to show a modern girl like you a good time."  
  
"Move here, Tanya." Trini suggested as she scrambled the eggs carefully into soft golden folds. "I'll introduce you to some rich lawyer friends of mine."  
  
"Or," Jason said as he came through the door, freshly showered and dressed. "I have a few architect friends that can use some of your charms."  
  
Tanya laughed. "Don't tempt me!"  
  
Jason leaned in closed and kissed Trini on the side of her neck. "Good morning. I didn't hear you get up."  
  
"You were dead to the world." She turned her head to trade kisses with him. "What were you up doing all night?"  
  
"Watching you," he took some eggs from her and popped them into her mouth. "You should eat more."  
  
"Watching me?" She chewed carefully and slanted him a glance of puzzlement. "What were you doing watching me sleep?"  
  
"Cause you're so beautiful."  
  
"Hey, you two." Zack called to them. "Take it somewhere else. We're trying to eat here."  
  
"Well, if you insist."  
  
"JASON!" She pulled herself away from him and walked over to where the toaster was hard at work. "I swear you men are all alike."  
  
"One track minds?" Aisha asked as she stepped through the swinging door and sighed at the smell of fresh brewed coffee. "I need that."  
  
"Hey, where's Rocky?" Adam asked as he glanced at his watch. He had about half an hour to say his good-byes to his pals before heading to work. "I wanted to say good-bye before I..."  
  
"This is not good-bye," Rocky said as he walked in through the door and grinned at the sight of food on the table. "It is as the French would say, until we meet again." He glanced at the coffee pot. "Regular or decaf."  
  
Zack laughed. "Thank Adam, it's regular."  
  
"Thank you, Adam." Rocky said with a grin and poured himself a giant mug in a cup that was bright yellow with toothy grins painted on both sides. "I'm going to miss having Trini to make breakfast."  
  
"It's nice to know I'm appreciated for my fine mind and good looks." Trini rolling her eyes at Aisha. "How do you put up with Romeo over there?"  
  
"He's good in bed." Aisha replied with a grin.   
  
Rocky, for all his macho talks, blushed cleared to his roots.   
  
Aisha laughed until she choked. "So Trini, when is the big day?"  
  
"Big day?" Trini asked looking quite startled.   
  
"Yeah!" Tanya hopped over to Trini swung an arm around her friend. "We're going to need a date so we can put down for vacation time."  
  
"Um...." Jason looked at Trini, protesting his innocence as she glared at him accusingly. "What are you guys..."  
  
"Oh come on, Jason." Adam laughed. "Don't tell me you guys, with all your secret plans, haven't even thought about setting down a wedding date?"  
  
"Wedding date?" Trini stared the young doctor blankly. The sudden panic she felt drained away so quickly that it left her a little slow to react.  
  
Jason almost laughed. "With all the excitement..."  
  
"True," Billy said pushing the door inward and keeping it from swinging back into his face, he propped himself down on a chair. "With Kim and Tommy's little blow up, Aisha and Rocky's sudden crossing of jobs and now everyone leaving, you guys probably haven't had a lot of time to sit down and concentrate on your lives." He turned his head toward the coffee pot. "That regular?"  
  
While Tanya poured Billy a cup of java, the others, with the exception of the bride and groom, began to argue over what would be the perfect wedding date.   
  
"Spring wedding!"  
  
"Not way, it might rain."  
  
"It always rains here."  
  
"Should be in Angela Grove."  
  
"They live here now."  
  
Jason tugged gently at Trini's arm and led the way to the hall, hoping to get away from their every loving friends. She wore an expression on her face akin to the one she wore when the argument over marriage came up at her condo.   
  
"Aren't you going to totally miss their opinions when they're gone?" He chuckled before hugging her tight and sighed. "They are right, you know. We need to set a date and soon too."  
  
"With the baby coming along..." She closed her eyes and leaned against him. Her life was moving so fast in the last few days that she's barely had time to react. "I'm going to start showing soon and I know for a fact that there isn't a wedding dress in the world that can be but to look good on a woman in a delicate condition."  
  
He kissed her cheek. "You'd look good in a barley sack with bed hair."  
  
She laughed, reaching up to touch his cheek. "We're going to have to put off the wedding until after the baby is born."  
  
"Why?" he pulled suddenly, his eyes lit with excitement. "Why do we have to wait at all?"  
  
The frown she wore expressed her thoughts all too well on his inability to follow the line of conversation. "Hello? Didn't I just say that the fact that I'm pregnant and need to wait for when...."  
  
"But why wait?" He tugged her toward the living room. Pulling a phone book out, he began to flip through the pages. "We can be married today!"  
  
Trini's mouth went slack. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Today, Angel!" He picked up the phone. "All our friends are still around. We can all call in for the day off. We can drive down to Atlantic City, be married and get back here in time for Zack to catch his 9:30 flight tonight."  
  
She was staring at him as if he had just grown a second head. "Are you serious here?"  
  
"Absolutely," he paused as he was punching in the number for the 24-hour wedding chapel. "Unless you've changed your mind about marriage."  
  
She took a step back. "Okay, that was totally inappropriate."  
  
Jason could have bit his tongue off. Dropping the phone, he took her hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I just.... I don't think we need to wait."  
  
"Jason, we haven't even informed our parents about our engagement. How can we just show up and announce to everyone that we're married and a baby is on its way!" She dropped herself into a chair.   
  
"Hey, don't move so fast. You might knock something loose." He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her. "I don't know about you but my parents know about you and me. Dad and I talked before I bought the ring. It only seemed fair that I asked for his thoughts on his son getting hitched. By the way, he wants us to have the family tree to fill in."  
  
"You guys keep a family tree?"  
  
"Yeah," he grinned. "So, I don't think it would be too great of a shock to them."  
  
"But.... We don't have a dress, or minister, or blood tests, or...." He dropped her head into her palms. And took deep breaths.   
  
"Hey, hey..." He rocked her gently and forced her body into the contours of his own. She was tense and upset now, either of which is good for her or the baby. "Okay, okay, if you feel that we need more time for this then let's just forget that I said anything about eloping, okay? I don't want you to feel like you're being pressured into this." He ran a soothing hand down her back. "I love you, I'll do whatever you want."  
  
"You will?" She looked him with soft eyes that held some uncertainty.   
  
"Yeah, if we want to wait until the baby comes and you get your figure back, then we'll wait." He grinned as he looked at the door toward the back where he could still their friends arguing. "I would however like you to move in here so I can take care of you and the baby. I think with Rocky leaving and Tommy having a place of his own we can turn the other...."  
  
"Let's get married." Trini said suddenly and got up to grab the phone.   
  
It took a moment for Jason to follow her sudden shift in moods. "Whoa, whoa.... I thought..."  
  
"I changed my mind," she said and pulled the phone to her ear. "Hello? Silvermoons Chapel? Yes, I'd like to reserve a time this afternoon to be married... Okay, what would I need?... Okay, that's not hard to do. Valid ID, birth certificate, and forty-five dollars.... 2:30?... That sounds perfect. It's Trini Kwan, K-W-A-N, and Jason Scott... Yes, like the name. Thank you.... We'll be there on time. Thanks." She hung the phone and turned to her now stunned fiancé. "We're good to go. I just need an hour to get ready before hitting the road. And we'll have to tell the others about the other little thing too."  
  
"Trini..." There was simply no understanding the woman, not that he really needed to. He loved her enough to take her and all her eccentricities. "Are you sure?"  
  
"I love you, I'm sure of that." She tilted her head and grinned. "And I'm sure that I would not like living in sin with you."  
  
"Oh like sex before marriage isn't a sin in the eyes of religions?" He asked, delighted with her and life in general. "So, we're doing this?"  
  
"Yes, we're doing this!" She laughed and touched his lips with her own. "Let's move!"  
  
Jason laughed and pulled her toward the door. "HEY GUYS! GUESS WHAT?!?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 3, 2004  
Tommy Oliver's New House  
85236 Wellington Drive  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Bbbbrrrriiiinnnnnggggg......"  
  
Tommy groaned and groped around for the ringing cell phone. "Oh, I'm so going to kill whoever it is." He muttered as his hand made connection. The only thing that he had time to buy was the king size mattress on which he had to spread sheets that Jason brought over and pillows that was purchased by Tanya and Aisha. "Hello?"  
  
"Tommy, wake up. We've got things to do and place to go."  
  
"Rocky?" He opened one eye and grinned at the delicate hand curled into a fist on his chest. "What the heck could you possibly... Wait, what time is it?"  
  
"It's almost seven thirty my friend," Rocky said with a grin as he pulled his suit out and rushed down the stairs. "You need to get back here now!"  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"No time, explain when you get here. Get Kimberly up and dressed within the next five minutes, please. Trini and the girls are on their way over to pick her up now!" He tripped on the last step and stumbled several steps before catching himself and barely avoided colliding into Billy, who was pulling his dress shoes from a box near the closet. "And when I say now, I really mean now!"  
  
"Wait a minute!" He sat up, jarring Kimberly awake. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
"Explain that when you get here. Too busy now. Hurry up!" Then Rocky unceremoniously hung up the phone.  
  
"What's wrong?" Pushing her hair back, Kim sat up and pulled the sheets up for modesty.   
  
Tommy turned to her with troubled eyes. "Rocky called and said that something is up. Sounds huge and we're to get dressed now. Trini is on her way to pick you up even as we speak." He frowned and toss back the sheets. "I'm not too certain but I don't think this is a joke of any sort."  
  
Kimberly frowned, her wonderful night of passion was being ruined by the cold light of day. "Anything we should be worried about?"  
  
"I don't think so. Rocky sounded urgent but not panicky." He pulled her silk blouse out from under a pile of hastily discarded clothes. "I think we should hurry."  
  
She sighed and took the outstretched blouse. "So much for a wonderful happy morning."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Come on , Kim," Tanya tugged at her arm. "We have to hurry!"  
  
"Would someone please explain to me what is happening?" Kim asked as she struggle into her jacket and avoid tripping over herself as she tugged at the laces of her sneaks. Not exactly a matching outfit but at least she was decently dressed now.  
  
"Wedding gown, we need one now!" Aisha said scooting over the seat and pulling the door shut and patted Trini's shoulder. "Peal rubber, girl!"  
  
Trini swung the car out of the driveway barely missing Tommy's explorer. "Kim, know any good wedding gowns in a size six that I can buy at a minute's notice?"  
  
"Wait a minute! What is going on?" The former pink ranger's eyes were wide in shock. "Are you getting married today???"  
  
"Yeah!" She turned her head and grinned broadly at her best pal. "Jason thought it would be a great idea."  
  
"Are you crazy?!?" She leaned over the seat and tried to stay calm. "Trini, you were just engaged not two days ago."  
  
"And you're point is?"  
  
"Trini!"   
  
"KIM! I'm getting married today. You want to help or not?" Trini said taking a turn just a little too quickly. "Someone grab change of the toll please. I'm sure there has to be a wedding boutique someone on Fifth Street."  
  
"Why the hurry?" Kimberly asked as she and the others dug through their purses for change. "You can have it in three weeks and have a grand wedding with all your family and friends together for...."  
  
"That's what we said." Tanya nodded her head and pulled out a wad of gum. "Hum... I had wondered where these had gone."  
  
"But Jason and her are determined to get married today," Aisha shook her head and headed over a rumpled dollar bill. "Anyone have thirty-five cents?"  
  
"I got it," Kimberly put the coins in Aisha's hand. "Please explain to me how you two came up with the idea and why we have to be doing this today and...."  
  
"Cause Zack, Tanya and Aisha are leaving tonight." Trini paused to throw hand over the money to the toll attendant. "And Jason would like to have our friend with us when we marry. And if don't do it now, it'll have to wait for another year for the wedding to happen."  
  
"Why would it be a year?" Tanya asked for what feels like the eightieth time since Trini made her announcement and ushered them out the door without so much as a near satisfactory explanation.   
  
"Cause I'm not walking down the aisle pregnant and Jason wants me to move into the house with him. I don't particularly want to live in sin with him." Trini explained as she drove the car at a neck breaking speed.   
  
"WHAT?!?!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"When did you find out?" Tommy asked after Jason dropped another bomb on them yet again.   
  
"Sometime yesterday morning." Jason replied as he sorted through an array of CD's. "Where the hell is it?"  
  
"How far along is she?" Adam asked with a frown, this was definitely an unexpected turn of events. He would have thought that Jason and Trini were the most careful people in the world.  
  
"About a month and a half," Jason grinned a he put the two CD's in his bag. "Hey, what did the florist say?"   
  
Rocky nodded his head. "They'll have the flowers ready for pick up by 1:00 and the chapel ready by 2:00."  
  
"Good," he rushed from the living room toward the stairs. "We'll take off as soon as the girls gets back from whatever they are doing."  
  
"Jason," Billy frowned at him. "I hate to be the one to say this, but don't you think that you're being a little hasty here?"  
  
"No," Jason grinned completely un-offended by his friend's unsolicited comment. "I don't think I'm being hasty at all." He laughed; the joy of life knew no bounds for him. "I think that I'm way over due for something like this. Billy, I've never felt as alive as I do now, not even during my stunt with the Rangers. This is like breaking into a run after slow walking all your life. It's someone coming along and turning on the light after you've lived in darkness. I'm overwhelmed by the kind of life and laughter and completely freedom this is making me feel." He shook his head at his own silliness. "This is so right for me that I can't even put it into words."  
  
"That's it!" Rocky threw up his hand. "He's a goner. Pack it in boys, there's no hope for him."  
  
Billy grinned and then sighed. "All right then. We have a wedding to put together in a matter of hours."  
  
Zack clapped Billy on the back. "You know what they say about joining them if you can't beat time. I'll call your bosses for you all."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"In the car, in the car, in the car!" Zack ushered Tanya and Aisha as quickly as they could go while carrying dresses, shoes and a cake that Kimberly insisted upon. "I'll get the cake."  
  
"I'LL get the cake," Rocky said as he rounded the driver seat and headed for the door.   
  
"No sneaking bites for it!" Aisha called after him as she loaded the dresses and makeup box.   
  
"Hey, you can't sit in the same car!" Tanya yelled as Jason helped Trini into the passenger set of his car. "Out! Out!"   
  
"What?" Jason protested as Tanya pulled Trini from the seat, careful not to jar her too much. "HEY!"  
  
"She's right," Kimberly tugged Trini toward Tommy's explorer. "Ladies ride with me. Tommy, I'm stealing your car. You go keep Jason company."  
  
"Wait a minute, don't we get a say in this?" Trini put in as Aisha and Tanya, both very conscious of the fact that their friend was carrying a new life inside of her, are tucking her into the backseat.   
  
"Absolutely not!" Kim grinned, thoroughly enjoying herself now. "The groom and the bride are not suppose to see each other on the day of the wedding. But since that's been blown to hell, this will have to do in laud of that tradition."  
  
"Kim, come on..." Jason made to go to Trini again. The plead was in his eyes, he wanted some time with his fiancée and it was difficult for anyone to stand against such obvious love. But then again, these young men and women have stood against some pretty formidable opponents before.  
  
"NO! Stop right there," Tanya held out a hand and slam the door to the explorer close with a protesting Trini in it. "There are so traditions that just cannot be broken. I don't care how much you want to drive down with her. We didn't even get to have a bachelorette party so this will have to be it. Granted we're not going to have any strippers to play with but..."  
  
"Oh like any beef cake dancer is going to have a better body than Jason's Greek-God physique?" Trini grumbled from the now open window.  
  
"Anyways..." Aisha rolled her eyes and climbed into the car next to Trini. "Separate cars, no arguments."  
  
"Let's go already!" Billy called out as he slammed the trunk shut with everything loaded and ready to go. "We keeps standing around here and argue about seating arrangements and we'll never get the two of you married."  
  
"Yeah!" Zack agreed with a grin. "Besides, it's not like you're not going to have the rest of your life to be around each other. Just let us have these last few moments alone with you guys as single people without the baby."   
  
"Oh all right," Jason conceded reluctantly and gave Trini a wave good bye. "Until the Chapel, Angel."  
  
"I love you!" She called to him as Kimberly rolled her eyes and pulled away from the curb. "Kim, do you even know where you're going?"  
  
"Of course I.... Which way is it again?"   
  
"South, Beautiful!" Tommy yelled at the car as it turned the wrong way. "God, women and their sense of direction, or lack of."  
  
"WE HEARD THAT!" Tanya and Trini yelled out the window as Kimberly made a U-turn and pass the house again.  
  
The other men laughed as they too piled into the car.   
  
Billy clapped Jason on the back as they settled into their seats. "Okay old friend, time to get you hitched!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Oh lordy, I think I'm going to be sick." 


	48. Friendships and Fears

New Start   
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Shawn, this one is for you. All the spirations you've given is totally worth your weight I gold.   
  
Note: Two more to go guys! And sorry about the ending to this chapter, I just know someone is going to yell at me for the wait.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Forty-Eight  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Jason's Car  
Highway 65  
New Jersey  
  
"Hey, I just thought of something," Rocky leaned forward on his chair. "Did you buy a wedding ring?"  
  
"Yes," Jason mumbled through a mouthful of beef jerky, it was the only thing he could do to keep from swallowing his tongue. "I had to pick something up quickly while the girls were getting their dress. Mine is a little too big but I think Trini's will fit all right. We'll get something a little fancier in the next one."  
  
"What next one?" Adam asked, elbowing Rocky a little to the side so that he wasn't taking up some much leg room. "Rocky, much you sit like that?"  
  
"I've got long legs."  
  
"Boys," Zack shook her head and leaned over Rocky, pretending to stop the fighting between the two grown men. "Is Jason going to have to stop this car and turn it around?"  
  
Billy laughed and exchanged amused glances with Tommy, who shared the front roll with him and Jason. "Guessing by Jason's look, stopping this car is not an option. I'm afraid the two of your are going to have to jump from here."  
  
Adam and Rocky grinned. "Jason?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What next one?"   
  
Jason turned his head slightly. "Next wedding of course."  
  
Tommy turned his head. "You're having another one of these?"  
  
"Sure," Jason grinned and wondered for a moment what Trini's reaction was going to be when he told her later on. "My parents don't know that we're getting married today. Trini's parents don't even know that we're engaged. Even she and I have to admit that this little wedding is rushed simply because it must be, plus I don't particularly relish the thought of not having her in my bed for the next couple of days...weeks...months. Once the baby is born, we'll have another wedding and make a huge splash of it."  
  
"Are you kidding?" Rocky looked horrified. "Do you have any idea how much money that is going to..." He sighed and sat back. "Oh, silly me. I forgot who I was talking to."  
  
"Water and money," Billy muttered. "There really isn't any difference to him."  
  
"That's not true," Jason protested. "Tommy makes every bit as much as I do and I don't hear you guys haggling him."  
  
"Yeah," Adam nodded his head. "But he's not dating...marrying a woman that makes money the way that some people grow fruits on a tree. Between you and Trini, you can keep the rest of us retired Rangers in style for the rest of your life."  
  
"Tommy," Jason changed lanes with a easy hand. "Why don't you take over their finances?"  
  
"I offered." Tommy answered while staring out the window, looking for his familiar car. "Adam and Rocky have their file with me now. We're looking at a very nice yield for next year. Rocky could not work for anything and still have more than enough to live on."  
  
"Whoa..." Rocky's eyes were wide with surprise. "If I knew that it was going to be that easy..."  
  
"Yeah right," Adam grinned and pointed his friend. "You'd have spent it all on beer and ice cream."  
  
"Oh, you're sound like Tanya there."   
  
"Ha, ha." Adam glanced at his watch. "I hope we make this in time. I promised to pull the late shift to cover for my missing the day shift today."  
  
"We're going to make it." Jason said with conviction. "I'm going to get married today if I have to run all the way to Atlantic City."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Tommy's Car  
Highway 65  
New Jersey  
  
"Aisha, I'm going to rip your arm off if you don't stop fussing!"   
  
"Sorry, sorry," Aisha grinned good-naturedly without taking any offense to Trini's threat. "But I promised Jason that I'd make sure you are completely comfortable for the whole trip."  
  
"That man is going to drive me crazy before this baby is born." Trini groaned and leaned back into the chair. "I can't wait until my baby is born."  
  
"Really?" Tanya turned in her seat. "Boy or girl?"  
  
"Boy," Trini answered quickly. "I want a little boy with Jason's eyes and cute little ears."  
  
Kimberly laughed and avoided a rather flashy red sport car with a bunch or rowdy guys that wolf called at them as she drove pass. "Well I hope it's a little girl."  
  
"Why?" Trini asked as she accepted the small bottle of juice and saltine crackers reluctantly from a sheepish Aisha.   
  
"I know a little store in lower Manhattan that sell the most adorable little dresses." Kimberly answered excitedly. "There is this little pink dress with a silver lace collar that would just look so adorable with your porcelain fine skin and dark hair."  
  
Trini laughed as she munched on some dry crackers. "You're going to play doll with my kid?"  
  
"With your permission of course." Kimberly said sweetly. "And of course every little girl must have a big snowy white bear to cuddle with."  
  
"And the little squeaky shoes with the bells on the straps," Tanya added with a grin. "I always thought those were so adorable."  
  
Aisha nodded her head. "She should have the cradle with the lace edges and matching blankets. I think I remember seeing some when we were in California, in that little store by the Staple Center. I'll have my mother pick them up and ship them here."  
  
"Hold it, hold it!" Trini was laughing so hard she choked on the crackers in her hand. "Oh my god..." She gasped for breath while Aisha patted her helpfully on the back.   
  
~~~~~  
  
Jason frowned at the window as he pulled his cell phone out with one hand. Punching in the number with his thumb, he tried to keep is eyes on both the road and the car not too far away.   
  
"Jason, who are you calling?" Zack asked as he watched Billy and Tommy argue over the benefit of a long-term investment on an educational IRA for Jason's not-yet-born kid.  
  
"Oh lordy, I think I'm going to be sick." Rocky complained as he groaned in his seat.   
  
"What did I say about reading your journal article in the car?" Adam dug through his ever-ready medical bag for something to calm Rocky's rolling stomach. "If you throw up on me, I'm tossing you out the window."  
  
"Nice bedside manner there, Doc." Rocky muttered as his stomach threatened to jump out of his mouth.   
  
"Jason?" Zack asked again.   
  
The former Gold Ranger was busy switching hand on the steering wheel as he pulled his cell phone toward his ear.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Aisha, what the hell is going on over there?" Jason asked quietly, not willing to alarm the others.  
  
"Jason?" Rocky's carsickness was forgotten in an instant. "What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing," Aisha rolled her eyes at Tanya and continued to pat Trini gently on the back. "Trini just choked on some crackers."  
  
"Well tell her to stop that. She might cough something loose." Jason complained, the worry lines clearly written on his face as he watched the other car from the corner of his eyes. "Better yet, why don't you stop the car and switch passengers."  
  
"Tell him we're not stopping the car," Kimberly said loudly, hearing Jason only too clearly from her seat in the driver's side. "And stop trying to mother the mother-to-be."  
  
Aisha laughed. "You heard that, Jase?"  
  
"Yeah," he trusted the phone to Rocky. "Tell your girlfriend to keep mine alive long enough for me to marry her."  
  
Rocky picked up the phone with grin wide enough to split his face as he accepted the aspirin from Adam. "Hey darling, Jason said...."  
  
"I heard what Jason said." Aisha sighed and glanced over to make sure Trini was resting comfortably again after her bout of coughs. "You can tell him to stuff it up his..."  
  
"Now, now..." He exchanged glances at the obviously eavesdropping Adam. "He's only trying to make sure his wife and baby is okay."  
  
"Not his wife yet," Tanya pointed out. "These phones have really loud speakers on them." She grabbed the phone from her friend and settled into her front seat. "Hey Rocky, you need to tell Jason to calm down and stop spying on us."  
  
"Jason..."  
  
"I heard it. And I was not spying," Jason grumbled. "I was just watching out for my girl. And I'd like to talk to her if you guys don't mind."  
  
"Actually we do," Kimberly reply as she took the cell phone from Tanya. "You and Trini can stand to be apart from one another for a few hours while we get your guys married and legal. Okay?"  
  
"Kimberly," Tommy said as he shook his head and took the phone from Rocky. "Is that anyway to treat the father of your soon-to-be godchild?"  
  
"Hey, who elected her to be the godmother?" Aisha said grabbing unsuccessfully for the phone.   
  
"It's because I care that I yell," Kim said with a grin and avoided the outstretched hands of her friends. "And you better believe that I'm going to be the godmother to this kid. I'm Trini's best friend and considering all the..."  
  
"Is the vote still out for the godfather position?" Zack asked with a grin, knowing perfectly well that Tommy was a shot in for the position and not feeling the least bit offended by it. "Cause I can make a mean batch of mashed carrots."  
  
"And that's going to be such a selling point when the kid turn seventeen," Billy grinned and grabbed the phone. "Tell Trini that I can keep that kid up to speed with the technology that is beyond this world... or the next universe for that matters."  
  
"Okay, that's so not fair," Rocky complained as he was beginning to feel the rocking motion of the car again. "Not all of us had the benefits of a trek around the stars for three years."  
  
"Hey, hey, hey!" The father-to-be grabbed his phone back from Billy. "The vote is still out and ladies, keep your voice down. If I'm not mistaken, my pregnant fiancée has fallen asleep."   
  
The ladies all turned their head to see that Jason was right. The one carrying the child in question was fast asleep, tucked into the corner of the car with a warm thin blanket tucked around her. She wore the serene look of a content woman that knew that the world was wonderful and perfect.   
  
Kim frowned, quite annoyed all of a sudden. "Jason, how could you have known that she fell asleep when we're the ones in the car with her?"  
  
Jason grinned, feeling content with life in general. "Cause I know the woman I love."  
  
Rocky made retching noises. "Now I'm really going to be sick."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Hilton Hotel  
Atlantic City, New Jersey  
  
Jason leaned against the car doorframe quietly watching his soon-to-be wife fast asleep. The others were allowing them a few moments alone while they took care of the pesky details like temporary hotels to rest up and dress in, the ordering of a light but hearty meal for lunch, and lining up all the ducks for this afternoons big show.   
  
Trini came awake slowly, through a mist of warm comfort, and became aware that she was not alone in bed. Blinking the sleep away slowly, she smiled sweetly at the man silhouetted by the sun. "Hi."  
  
He grinned and leaned into help her into a more comfortable sitting position. "Hi yourself. How do you feel?"  
  
"Hungry."  
  
The laughter that erupted from this mouth warmed her to no end. "You and Rocky both. He's been complaining about hunger pains for the last ten miles. That on top of the motion sickness." Helping her from the car, he gave her a quick kiss before Kimberly or the others could stop him. "For luck."  
  
"Luck?" She grinned. "I don't need no stickin' luck." She wrapped her arms around his neck and traded is quick peck for a long lingering kiss that scorched the find hairs at the nape of his neck. "I've got you, lover."  
  
"HEY!" Aisha pulled Jason away while Tanya led Trini away with a firm but gentle hand. She confronted the groom with fists on her hips and sharp teasing glare in her eyes while wiggling a finger at him mockingly. "None of that until after the wedding."  
  
Kimberly walked by and grabbed Aisha by the elbow and led her away. The former pink ranger wore a look on her face that told of her amusement over the whole thing. Had she opened her mouth, hysterical laughter would have rolled out fast enough to knock her grinning boyfriend over.   
  
Jason sighed as he watched the girls take Trini away.   
  
Zack grinned and patted Jason on the back in sympathy. "Just three more hours, my friend."  
  
He groom stared up at the sky and pray for some divine help to hold on to his patience. "It's going to be a longest three hours of my life."  
  
Billy grinned and shook his head. "Oh I doubt that. Just wait until Trini's in the delivery room."  
  
Adam and Rocky were holding on to each other, trying not to collapse with laughter.   
  
Jason made sounds of disgruntlement. "With friends like you guys, who needed Lord Zedd?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
"But I just want to...."  
  
"Nope!"  
  
"It's just a...."  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Come on, guys!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Ahhh...." Trini threw her hands up and sat down again while Aisha and Kimberly fussed with her hair.   
  
"Flowers are here!" Tanya yelled as she opened the door wider to allow the florist to bring the emergency wedding bouquets in.   
  
The ivory roses that Jason had insisted on were a perfect match for the ivory lace wedding dress that Trini had chosen in lieu of the stark white that most women wore on their wedding day. Her reasoning being that she was going to the chapel with a baby. "Only seemed fair that I not sully the title of virgin bride."  
  
"Oh man god!" The half-dozen vases of red and golden-yellow roses were not expected but certainly much appreciated. "Look at these!"  
  
Aisha gave a low whistle but kept Trini in her seat with a firm had while she finished pinning the bridal mantilla on her head. "Looks like Tommy isn't the only one that can make extravagant romantic gestures." She shook her head and grinned at Trini in the mirror. "That must have cost the boy a pretty penny."  
  
"Oh he can afford it," Tanya said with a wave of her head as she pulled out a yellow rose from the vase and pinned it to her carefully coiffed hair. "Do you mind?"  
  
"Not even a little," Trini sighed with her heart racing in her rib cage. "Oh god, this is so...."  
  
"Amazing?" Kimberly put in.  
  
"Wonderful?" Aisha suggested.  
  
"Exciting?" Tanya said with a grin.  
  
"Scary!" Trini took deep cleansing breaths. "Oh god, I've never been so scared in my life."  
  
"Cold feet?" Kimberly asked, not believing for a moment that her best friend was going to walk away from the best thing to come into her life.   
  
"No, not really. I'm just... what if I mess up?"  
  
"Mess up?" Aisha was looking at her friend not too sure if she heard right.  
  
"Yeah, you know...." She was lost for words. "What if I can't do that wife thing? Or I screw up my baby's life with all my.... Oh god, the baby!" She whimpered. "What if the baby has some problem because of my path? What if..."  
  
"Trini!" Kimberly held her hands. "Hey, take it easy on yourself. Everything is going to be fine. You'll see."  
  
"Jason is worry about the baby, you know." She said quietly, staring down at her hands still held in her friend's.  
  
"Who doesn't know that's he is turning into a frantic first time father?" Tanya said with a laugh.   
  
"No, it's not that." Trini shook her head and smiled sadly. "We were exposed to alien technology for a long time, all of us. Who knows what it did to our bodies? What if our being Power Rangers had some kind of side effect that we simply have detected yet? What if my baby suffers because I was fighting evil and not being more careful? I mean, look at Billy. Look what happened to him!"  
  
"Stop it, right now." Aisha said sharply. "Don't do this to yourself. Don't second guess and doubt and all that other stuff."  
  
"Yeah," Tanya smiled and reached out to Kimberly and Trini's joint hands. "Whatever happens, we'll all be here to deal with it. And I'm sure you're baby is perfectly fine and healthy. The karma that you and Jason have built over the years of servitude to the powers of good will be rewarded."  
  
Trini gave her a smile, knowing that they were all trying to help. "You really think so?"  
  
"I know so," Aisha said clasping her hands to theirs. "Sisters?"  
  
"Sisters." Kimberly said squeezing their hands together.  
  
"Sisters." Tanya said with grin on her face.  
  
"Definitely sisters." Trini said with a nod.  
  
Aisha wrinkled her nose suddenly. "So who gets to be Godmother?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Silvermoons Chapel  
Atlantic City, New Jersey  
  
"So, you're going to think about it?" Jason asked as he continued to pace the width of the small chapel that had been meticulously decorated with flowers and ribbons so as to try to give a semi-elegant appearance.   
  
"Hum..." Billy frowned as he tugged at the collar of his suit. He had gotten quite use to being able to work in jeans and tee shirts. I don't know why Tommy and Jason got to work everyday feeling like someone is trying to choke the life out of them. "This is a problem none of us ever really gave any thought to in the past. Of course, none of us have children." He sighed and scratched his head before smoothing the hair back. "But you are right of course, we don't really know what the morphing grid did to us when we're transformed. I'll look into it. I believe I still have the archived filed from Zordon in my machine and probably on back up CD's somewhere. Let me work on this some and get back to you."   
  
"Don't take too long," Tommy said as he sat down in the front pew. "We want to allow Trini and Jason to keep their options open."  
  
"Tommy, you can't be suggesting that they... that they..." Adam didn't know what to think. The doctor in him was rebelling against even the though.   
  
"Oh course not," Tommy frowned at him. "I'm just saying that they need to be able to keep their options open. What you and I think of the situation is not important."  
  
"Tommy's right." Zack shook his head at Adam. "Jason and Trini are both smart enough to know what's best for them. Abortion may not be what everyone believes in, but it is something they have to consider if what we're exposed to somehow deforms the child to a point where its life is unbearable. Would you really condemn a child to a life of pain?"  
  
"Guys, guys!" Jason sighed and frowned with great deal of anxiety. "You are so not helping me at the moment. The last think I need if for the couple of you to go on about the ethical practices of modern medication and other such things. I need to be able to concentrate right now."  
  
"You're really nervous, aren't you?" Rocky asked his lips twisted in a half amused, half surprised grin.   
  
Jason rounded on him so fast that it startled everyone. "Rocky! I swear to God if you're looking for a death wish right now you're so going to get a whoop ass that'll have your head spinning for weeks to come."  
  
"Whoa there, Jason," Tommy put a restraining hand on Jason's arm, hoping against home that he had enough strength to hold the nervous groom back before he tore out Rocky's spleen. "He didn't mean anything by it. It's just Rocky being Rocky again."  
  
"Jason, man," Rocky held up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you like that. I just thought that this is your day and you appear to be completely miserable when you were on cloud nine not two hours ago."  
  
Jason groaned and threw himself down into a hard bench pew. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jump down your throat like that. God, this is the most nerve-wrecking thing I've ever done in my life."  
  
"More than taking on the power of the Gold Ranger?" Adam asked, remembering how afraid the others had been that Jason's body would reject the powers as Billy's had done.   
  
"Times what I felt then by a hundred and eighty and maybe you'll get close to what I feel right now." Jason leaned back and sighed, his hands refused to stay still in his lap. "I can get or lose everything in the next half an hour. You have no idea how scary that is."  
  
Billy sat down by his friend while Zack took the other side. Jason's two oldest friends knew him the way most people could only hope to understand their parents. Billy looked at him seriously. "You afraid she's not going to show?"  
  
"No," Jason smiled, remembering the glow on Trini's face when she beheld the ring on her finger. "I know Trini loves me."  
  
"You afraid you're making a mistake jumping into marriage like this?" Zack asked, his usually mirthful eyes full of concern over the agony he saw in Jason's.  
  
"No," he shook his head. "I know this is the right thing. I want her in my life like nothing else in the world."  
  
"You afraid that what we went through may hurt the baby?" Billy asked, his mind already churning with the possible implication their powers have on their bodies.   
  
"Oh definitely," He nodded his head and closed his eyes. "But I know if I have Trini, I can get through anything."  
  
"Then what's the problem?" Rocky asked, his usual blunt manner that almost got him decapitated by Jason not three minutes before earned him a glare from the others. "What?"  
  
Zack rolled his eyes and grinned at an amused Adam. "He's got the pre-wedding jitters."  
  
Tommy laughed and clapped Jason hard on the back. "Bro, I don't know what you've got to be afraid of but I know one sure thing about this."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"You're going to laugh at this ten minutes from now and call yourself ten times the fool for ever having worried at all."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes," he nodded his head toward the chapel doors. "And the processes of eliminating your of your unfound fears begins now."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Teaser line from the next chapter: "Did I ever mention that I hate good-byes?" 


	49. Family and Farewells

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: Morgan, Hannah, Jacks, Pricilla, StarryStarryNight and Jessi. Thanks for hanging in there with me through all the chapters and frustrating moments of this story.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Forty-Nine  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Silvermoons Chapel  
Atlantic City, New Jersey  
  
"What..." Jason turned around in his seat just as the justice of the peace came through the side doors.  
  
"Everyone ready?" He wrinkled old man smiled at the obviously nervous young man surrounded by his friends. It was just as a wedding so be. "My, my, the chapel hadn't look so good in years."  
  
Jason smiled at the man and turned his head hoping to get a reassuring look from his bride but she was nowhere in sight. Tanya on the other hand was waving madly at the chapel doorway, signally for them to begin the proceedings. "I think we're ready to go."  
  
"Good, good." He waved to the CD player and his assistant. "Then we'll start the wedding march and..."  
  
"Wait," Tommy fished into his pocket and pulled out a neatly labeled jewel case. "If I forget this, Kim will have me sleeping on the sofa for weeks." Popping the sparkling disc into the player, he grinned at his best friend. "Kim's gift to you for now. Not too conventional but I think you'll like it."  
  
Girl you are to me  
All that a woman should be  
and I dedicate my life to you, always  
A love like yours is rare  
It must have been sent from up above  
and I know you'll stay this way, for always  
  
Tanya walked slowly down the aisle, a sprig of fresh daisies clutched in her hands. Her eyes were wide with sparkling delight at being part of this special occasion.   
  
And we both know  
That our love will grow  
and forever it will be you and me  
Ooh, You're like the sun  
Chasing all the rain away  
When you come around  
You bring brighter days  
You're the perfect one for me  
and you forever will be  
and I will love you so, for always  
  
Aisha took a deep breath and walked onto the red carpet that graced the center aisle of the little white chapel. The carnations in her hand gave just a hint of sweetness as she followed her best friend down the aisle. Her eyes went immediately to her lover's, both held the promises of tomorrow and wonderful things to come. I love you, Rocky Descantos. Whether you like it or not.  
  
Come with me my sweet  
Let's go make a family  
and they will bring us joy for always  
Oh boy I love you so  
Can't find enough way to let you know  
But you can be sure, I'm yours, for always  
  
Kimberly squeezed Trini's hand before stepping up to the open doors. The sweet summer tulips were a choice that was as unusual as this wedding. She smiled at Tommy as she walked slowly to the beat of the music, her eyes held all the love she felt over the years for the one man that's never left her heart or soul.   
  
And we both know  
That our love will grow  
and forever it will be you and me  
Ooh, You're like the sun  
Chasing all the rain away  
When you come around  
You bring brighter days  
You're the perfect one for me  
and you forever will be  
and I will love you so, for always  
  
Trini wasn't sure how she made it down the aisle in one piece for her eyes never left Jason's as she walked slowly toward him. His face held the thousands of questions, emotions and joys that she felt in her heart.   
  
The justice of the peace smiled rather sweetly at them, like a fond grandfather watching his children at play. "Well, isn't this nice. Now, we'll begin as we always do. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today before friends and..."  
  
The voice meant absolutely nothing to Jason as he stood there at the front alter, his hands clasped with the hands of the woman he loved. Tommy had been right, every fear and thought melted away like snow on a warm spring day as he gazed at Trini's lovely face, framed by soft delicate lace and created a almost halo like effect around her. No two little words have ever sounded so right to his ears or mind.   
  
"I understand that the bride and groom have a few words they wanted to share with one another?" The winkled little man asked looking expectedly at Trini first.  
  
She sniffed delicately, the warmth in her heart threatened to erupt. "Jason, when you and I met, we must have been no more than six or seven years old. I thought you were the bravest thing in the world for being able to climb the monkey bars." The others laughed. "Over the years, we've been through so much and our friendship have never wavered, even when we lost contract and were mails apart. Seeing you again this summer, it was like lightening had stuck and I was so dazed by it that I didn't know what to think." She smiled wistfully at him. "I had so many fears and hung-ups about love, life and men. And you were so incredibly brave as to take on all those insecurities and turn them on their heads. If ever there was a moment in life where everything changed for me, I think our reunion would top the list. Had someone asked me what my life would be like in ten years three months ago, it wouldn't have included you in any significant way. But now..." She wanted to pull him toward her. To bury herself in his warmth again. "Now I can't think of what my life was like before you. I love you, forever."  
  
Jason squeezed her hands gently and fought with the lump in his throat. "Well, I've never been very good with words," Tommy nudged him and Jason turned to him and handed his best friend the CD he had brought along. "So since I've seemed to have made it a habit of expressing myself through some of my favorite songs, here's one that pretty much says it all for me." He leaned forward slightly. "This is exactly how I feel when I look at you."  
  
Everytime our eyes meet,   
This feelin' inside me,  
Is almost more than I can take,   
Baby when you touch me,  
I can feel how much you love me,   
And it just blows me away,  
I've never been this close to anyone or anything,   
I can hear your thoughts,  
I can see your dreams,   
  
I don't know how you do what you do,   
I'm so in love with you,  
It just keeps gettin' better,   
I want to spend the rest of my life,  
With you by my side, forever and ever,   
Every little thing that you do,  
Baby I'm amazed by you.   
  
The smell of your skin,   
The taste of your kiss,  
The way you whisper in the dark,   
Your hair all around me,  
Baby you surround me,   
You touch every place in my heart,  
You know it feels like the first time,   
Everytime,  
I want to spend the whole night in your eyes,   
  
I don't know how you do what you do   
I'm so in love with you,  
It just keeps gettin' better,   
I want to spend the rest of my life,  
With you by my side, forever and ever,   
Every little thing that you do,  
Baby I'm amazed by you.   
  
Jason let out the breath he had been holding as he watched the first tear fall from Trini's eyes. "I love you, for always."  
  
She cried, unashamed and with enough love that drowned out all the other little embarrassing things about a woman's tears. Jason reached out and wiped the tears away with the rough palm of his hand. It was like a fairytale to her, where the little orphan girl got her prince at the end of the story. For as long as she lived, she will never forget the look in Jason's eyes as he slipped the simple plain gold band around on her fourth finger, and proclaimed his love for her before their extended family.   
  
Almost letting the ring slip, she carefully placed it on Jason's sun tanned hand. "With this ring," she watched as the light caught the gold in its embrace and winked at her, foretelling the bright future she was about to begin with this man. "I thee wed." And with those simple words, she sealed her worldly life here on earth to his as surely as her soul was already forever connected to his in her heart.   
  
"Well," the little man said with a grin. "Wasn't that romantic. And I guess the last thing to do is to pronounce you man and wife." He looked toward them expectedly as the bride and groom both blinked owlishly at him, as if stunned by the realization that they were really married. "You can kiss her now, kid."  
  
Jason laughed as he dropped a hot, soul-touching kiss on his new wife who tried her best to stop her tears.   
  
Zack let out a whop of sheer joy as the others joined in his cheering and clapping. There couldn't have been a better way to end a ceremony such as this.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Hilton Hotel  
Atlantic City, New Jersey  
  
"Okay, whose idea was it to have this impromptu reception?" Trini asked as she touched the small plastic fork to the crazy buttermilk cake decorated with swirls and little love doves.   
  
"Aisha's," Kimberly said as she clicked another picture of Jason and Trini in front of their small but tasteful wedding cake, trying not to drop any of it on the ground as they fed each other. "But to be honest, she was thinking more along the lines of not having Rocky hungry after the ceremony."  
  
"Ah honey," Rocky laughed as he planted a smacking, cream-covered kiss on Aisha's cheek as the girl squealed with laughter. "You shouldn't have."  
  
Adam laughed as he poured more sparkling apple cider into glasses. "Hey, toast! And speech!"  
  
"Isn't that the best man's job?" Zack asked, licking cake cream from his fingertips.   
  
"Did I have a best man and nobody told me?" Jason asked as he handed a champagne flute of cider to his new wife. "Still hungry?" He asked Trini as he picked up another piece of cake.  
  
She shook her head. "Okay, since we didn't really have a very organized wedding..."  
  
"Hey, it was pretty well organized for having only hours to do so," Tanya said with a laugh. "Come on, give us and the guys some credit where it is due. Who else do you know can plan a wedding, get florist, caters and dress makers to pull it off in less than five hours?"  
  
"You know," Kimberly said eyeing the cake greedily but reframing from it since she didn't having any of her insulin pills with her. "If our careers don't work out, we can open up a speeding wedding preparation service."  
  
"Hey," Aisha's lit up brightly. "Now there is an idea."  
  
"No more weddings please," Rocky said as he held up his glass. "So since we don't have a best man or maid of honor to speak, why don't we go round robin?"  
  
"Sounds like an idea," Zack held up his cup. "I'll go first since I've known them the longest."  
  
"You have not," Kimberly complained.  
  
"She's right," Billy shook his head in mock mourning. "My how your mind wonders, if I recall we meet around the same time in second grade."  
  
"Whatever," Zack said and grinned at them. "To my main Jason and wonder-woman Trini, nothing I say now will matter in the future cause nothing can compare to what a bright future you guys will have. We've known each other for so long to know that no matter what trouble life throws at you, the two of you can conquer it all. Here's to you both and the little one that you will soon have in your life. May Zordon always be there to protect you, and may we all find the kind of happiness you have."  
  
"Here, here," they clack glasses and took a small sip.   
  
"I'm not following that one," Rocky shook his head. "I can't possibly top that speech."  
  
"I'll do it," Tommy said as he put an arm around Kimberly. "I always thought that me and Kim would be the ones to walk down the aisle first. I think I can honest say that none of us ever saw this one coming, though I do think that others had their suspicions." He gave a quick look to Adam and Billy, who grinned in reaction. "Here's to the unexpected."  
  
Jason touched his glass to his friend's and gave Trini a kiss on her cheek, making her smile softly at him. He frozen for a minute caught in the serene beauty that she was exuding.   
  
"My turn," Billy said as he put his glass out front. "Here's to many, many more occasions such as this one. Where happy heart and gay smiled graced the faces of those we love. May we all know the kind of happiness that Jason and Trini have found in each other's hearts and lives. And may we always remember we have a home here within the bosoms of our family."   
  
Tanya and Aisha both wiped tears from their eyes and kissed Billy on the cheek. "That was so beautiful."  
  
Trini leaned over to hug Billy tight for a moment. "That was lovely Billy. See, you have improved in your speeches."   
  
He grinned at her in return. "I had a very good tutor." He lifted his glass to her. "To you, Trini."  
  
"Ladies next," Kimberly said clearing her throat. "I have yet to make it through a wedding without messing up my makeup and this one is no exception." The others laughed as she wiped her eyes with a napkin. "Okay, this is for all those nights where we stayed up talking about the guys in our lives and how badly we needed to find prince charming. My friend, you have found yours and then some. This has to be heaven's reward for the wonderful person that you are. You and Jason, I hope will never take each other for granted and retain the love you have this day for the rest of your life."  
  
"To good life," Trini said as she hugged her now crying best friend.   
  
Tommy reached over and pulled Kimberly into his arms, letting her weep all over his shirtfront. "Hey now, none of that."  
  
"Me next," Tanya said as she step on top of a chair and raised her glass high. "It really isn't fair that you two ended up together. Trini is beautiful, graceful, and wonderful. Jason is big, strong, honorable and good as gold. You'd think the powers that be would spread that goodness around a little more evenly but no..." She grinned at them. "Man, you guys have that wonderful in love, happy, forever kind of glow right now that a barrel of mud could fall on you and I've still be envious."  
  
"Tanya!" Adam laughed.   
  
"No, seriously," She clinked glasses with Trini. "To happy life."  
  
"To happy life," the others chimed in as they all touch glasses.   
  
"Why does it always come down to the three of us?" Rocky asked as he looked at Adam and Aisha by his side. "We're always the last ones to get anything around here."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Adam prodded him a little and step up to the bride and groom. "All I have to say is.... Jason , you're a damn lucky bastard. She cooks, she cleans, she makes more many than most Wall Street investors, and she's got a great pair of legs that can kick anyone's ass to next Sunday."  
  
"Geeze, Adam," Trini made a face with a laugh. "I'm feeling so flattered here."   
  
The young doctor laughed. "No, really Jason is an incredibly lucky man."  
  
"I know that," Jason nodded his head and indicated for the man to continue.   
  
"The first time I saw Trini, I thought my heart would stop." Adam grinned at the sudden growl from the groom. "And the first time I saw Trini look at Jason, I knew I had no chance in hell." Patted the former red ranger on the shoulder. "There was trust, respect, honor, and love there in one single glance and it was obviously reciprocated. It finally took you guys long enough to get around to what anyone could see from that first look."  
  
"Well I didn't," Trini complained. "I had to go through all those horrible nightmarish..."  
  
"No more now," Jason said with a kiss on her temple. "I'm going to make sure you're treated like a queen for now on."  
  
"Hum..." She grinned and leaned against him, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.   
  
"Anyways," Adam touched glasses with the couple. "To the two people that were meant to be."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Aisha grabbed Rocky's glass and clinked it with her own. "All I have to say is that I hope to be as happy someday."  
  
Rocky nodded his head and took his glass back. "I second that."  
  
Jason and Trini exchanged a quick glance before raising their glasses together. "To family."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 4, 2004  
Newark International Airport  
Newark, New Jersey  
  
"Am I going to make it? Am I going to make it? Am I going to..."   
  
"Zack, shut up for a minute, okay?" Tommy growled as he pulled the car to a stop in front of the terminal. No one could have predicted traffic that late in the evening. "You're going to make it."  
  
Grabbing his bags, he reached over and gave Kimberly a quick hug from behind the passenger seat then turned to give a hug to Adam and Billy seated next to him. "You guys, I'm so going to miss you."  
  
"You're going to miss your plane if you don't start moving." Kimberly said with a laugh of happiness. "And you're coming for the three months that Lion King is playing in New York over Christmas, right?"  
  
"You bet!"  
  
"Come stay with us, then." Tommy offered with a grin as he squeezed Kimberly hand. "We've got an extra bedroom."  
  
"Don't think I won't take you up on that!" Zack said swinging his duffle bag over his shoulder. "Bye guys, see you in a few months." With a quick wave and another flash of perfectly white teeth and he was gone.  
  
Kimberly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I miss him already."  
  
"Oh baby," Tommy leaned over and gave her a quick hug. "He'll be back."  
  
"In the meantime," Billy said from the back seat. "We better park this car or we're going to miss Rocky and the girls' send off."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Did I ever mention that I hate good-byes?" Tanya said as he hugged Trini just a little too tightly. "God, I miss you guys."  
  
"We haven't left yet, Tanya," Rocky said with laugh as he shook hugged the mother-to-be as well, careful not to step on her wedding dress, which she did not have time to change out of yet. In fact, none of them did. Still in the fineries, they stood there saying their good-byes. "Keep that stove warm, Trini. Cause we're going to be back."  
  
Trini laughed and gave his hand hard squeeze. "You can come eat in my kitchen anytime, Rocky." Then gave a sniff as her eyes suddenly became bright with unshed tears.  
  
"Hey, no crying now. Mothers-to-be aren't allow to be upset." Rocky said as he gently shoved Trini toward Jason, who reached out to take her into his arms easily and naturally. "Do something, Jason! She's your wife."  
  
Jason grinned and simply let her cry. "Don't look at me. The only remedy I know is to just ride through it."  
  
Aisha and Tanya traded hugs with Kimberly. "We expect to come back to good news, girl."  
  
"We'll see," Kimberly said with a grin as she glanced over to where Tommy was saying his goodbyes to Rocky. "We'll definitely see."  
  
"Don't forget to e-mail us with all the news." Aisha added as she reached down and picked up her carry-on.   
  
"Don't you worry about that," Tommy said as he walked over to say goodbye to two of his friends. "We'll definitely been keeping in touch. And you guys are welcome to come stay with us anytime you like. I'll even give up the house for one of your girl's nights."  
  
"Now that's an invitation that I can't resist," Tanya said as she reached up and hugged him hard. "I'm going to miss you guys so much."  
  
"And we're going to miss you guys." Adam said as he hugged Aisha and Tanya at the same time. "Keep Rocky out of trouble and write often."  
  
"Sure thing, doctor." Tanya promised and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "And you take care of yourself now, you hear me?"  
  
"Absolutely," he smiled and held her hand for a moment longer. "Come back to visit soon."  
  
"We will." Rocky assured him as he walked toward the gates. "And remember what we talked about!"  
  
"I will," Adam called back and waved his hands at them as his three best friends disappeared into the terminal gates.   
  
Tommy, Kimberly, Jason, Trini, Adam and Billy stood there in silence for a moment, watching the people enter through the metal doors that took their family with them. There was a moment of great sadness as they moved slowly away.   
  
"So now what?" Adam asked as he and Billy traded looks, mutually agreeing that they would be in everyone's way if they didn't stay at Trini's for the night.  
  
Jason grinned as he leaned around Trini. "Now we get a new start in another phase of our lives." His eyes twinkled with mischief and happiness. This was going to be a great phase in his life, and anyone seeing the way his arm was on his wife's waist knew so.   
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
One more chapter to go guys, even if this does seem like the last one but it isn't. Stay tuned!  
  
Teaser line from the final chapter: "Billy, can you ever forgive me?" 


	50. And so, it begins...

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Acknowledgements: This last official chapter is definitely for The Girl in the Red Jacket. Thanks for the many months of encouragement and crazy letters that kept me working on this story. And for being the first brave soul I know to write and break out with the non-cannon couples, which as my personal favorite Trini/Jason. You are the best!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter Fifty  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 5, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Tell me again how you did that?" Billy asked, rather incredulously as he watched Tommy loaded the last of his material goods into the back of his car for the fourth trip over to his new place. While the house may be bare of the essentials, it was filled with love and happiness, more than enough for him and Kimberly to sustain on.   
  
"Look, it's not like I was ever really unpacked in the first place." Tommy shrugged his shoulder and forced the door to close and watched with some amusement as Jason struggle out the front door with another box of financial records in boxes for him. Jason's car was only half full of things to go to Tommy's but more than enough to take them some time to unload before Jason headed over to Trini to pick up her stuff to be brought back here. "I guess a part of me knew that staying here wasn't an option once I realized that Kimberly was around."  
  
"Love her?" Billy asked, in that big brotherly manner of his.   
  
"Yes," Tommy smiled and shook his head. "It's like we were never parted."  
  
"Marry her?" Billy prodded a little, knowing that it was what Kimberly wanted even if she never expressed it in words. He loved Kim, and all her little strange hang-ups. If keeping her mouth shut kept Tommy by her side, then that was what she was going to do. But he had missed the look she had been sneaking at Tommy during Trini's wedding. It was of pure hope.   
  
Tommy sighed, hating the fact that Billy was getting too personal, even for family, but understanding why he was asking. "I'm not sure. I'm not sure when I'll be ready for that kind of step." He looked at Billy's big blue eyes straight and steady. "But I know that I love her and will do right by her. She will never come to harm in my hands, never intentionally."  
  
The once shy boy genius nodded his head, understanding Tommy's intentions better than perhaps Tommy himself did. "Then that's what we have to accept."  
  
The former white ranger nodded. "You going to be okay in Sydney?"  
  
"Are you going to be okay with me in Sydney?" Billy asked, even though he had asked before.   
  
"Yeah, I'm definitely okay with it." Tommy grinned. "It really doesn't come as a huge surprise to me, you know. I knew that sooner or later something like this was bound to happen. After all, we former rangers tend to keep it in the family."  
  
Billy made a face at that rather disturbing thought. "You make it sound like incest."  
  
Tommy laughed, but realizing what it had sound like sobered rather quickly and with a nasty feeling in the back of his throat. "I guess it a way, it kind of is."  
  
Nether men ever brought it up again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 5, 2004   
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
"And sign here.... And here.... And here...."  
  
Adam signed again for what feels like the hundredth time in the past ten minutes. "Any more?"  
  
"Yes, and right here.... And here.....and here...."  
  
"Trini!"  
  
"What?" She looked at him with wide eyed surprise. "I'm not joking, we really do have to sign all these documents to make this legal. I'm not trying to trick you here, Adam." She shrugged her shoulders and pointed to yet another place for Adam's John Hancock to be placed. "Nobody but lawyers seem have a good appreciation for the fine art of legal work."  
  
"If you ask me, it's a bunch of pain in the...."  
  
"I can say the same about medical school," she stuck her tongue out at him in a rather childish manner and felt better already. "I just have some more boxes upstairs to pack up. Most of the stuff will have to stay here for a bit until I get a little more settled into Jason's."  
  
"You mean your house." Adam grinned as he rolled up his copies of the document that transferred the deed of Trini's condo to his and Rocky's name. The two had put together enough money to place the down payment on the house, buying Trini out. "I heard Jason mention putting your name on the deed as soon as he can manage it."  
  
"I wish he won't," Trini sighed and glanced at the fish tank. That will definitely have to be transported soon. She was not going to leave the fates of her poor fishes to the doctor with the crazy hours. He would never remember to feed them. "It's his house."  
  
"And you're his wife," Adam grinned, rather amused that the issue of money was effecting Trini the same way most women would. "He loves you and wants you to share it as equals."  
  
"Then I wish he'd let me pay for some of the...."  
  
"He makes more than enough."  
  
"So do I!"  
  
"Yeah but I thought you were going to put money away for the baby's college fund and trust funds."   
  
"So?" Trini pouted prettily at him and sat down with sigh. Her lower back ached but she knew that was normal in a pregnancy.   
  
"Trini..." Adam looked at her expectedly.  
  
"Oh, all right." She grinned suddenly. "I'll let him wear the pants in the family for a while."  
  
"He certainly does it well." Adam said with a grin. "Now while I'm here, why don't I check on you and the baby."  
  
"Can you?" Trini looked at him expectantly "I know that Jason said that he would ask you and Billy to..."  
  
"Yes and yes. Billy is going to go through his old achieves to see if there is anything we need to be aware of. In the meantime, be quiet and let me take your pulse." Adam said holding Trini's wrist aloft. "I'll have to sneak you into the hospital one day and do some private tests."  
  
"Sound fine to me,": Trini grinned. "As long as you don't send me the bill."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 5, 2004   
Katherine Hallard's Residence  
58 Pondarosa Road  
Sydney, Australia  
  
Katherine paced the length of her kitchen floor, feeling her nerves humming with anticipation. She didn't quite understand this unbelievable amount of energy that's coursing through her systems. Nothing has felt like this since .... She couldn't remember when she's been so excited about anything.   
  
Pure exhilaration was how she felt. Complete and absolute happiness mixed with a tinge of nervousness in here to give it enough of a thrill to make her nervous as hell.   
  
"What if Billy hates my house?" She asked her clock on the wall. "What if it's too small? He has been living in a mansion lately, if what Aisha says is true. What if he doesn't like Australia? It's awfully hot here in the summer time. Oh for goodness sakes girl, he's only here for a visit! Stop working yourself into a frenzy!"  
  
With that she threw herself in to her sofa with a sigh. "Who the hell are you kidding, gal? You can't wait to see him? To touch him? To...."   
  
She stared at the ceiling with exasperation. It's been building for so long that she hadn't even noticed it at all. All the emotions, the joy, the pain, the sheer sense of.... "Oh hell, when did I fall for a guy that I haven't seen in years???"  
  
She stared at the pictures on the coffee table, framed so many years ago. Among them was Billy, bespectacled and sweet. "Oh Billy, your trip is going to be hell for me. What am I going to do?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 6, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"But...."  
  
"No, Trini."  
  
"Billy, my man..."  
  
"Jason, I don't want to argue with you over this."  
  
"But Billy...."  
  
"Kim, let's not do that whole big long good-bye kind of thing."  
  
"Billy, please...." Tommy begged.  
  
"No!" Billy grinned as he watched the tortured look on his friends' faces. Adam was making distressing sounds as they watched a cab pull into the driveway. "I have to go now."  
  
"At least let us take you to the airport!" Adam beseeched.   
  
"No," Billy shook his head and indicated the bags on the ground for the driver. "I never liked good-byes and this would be ever more difficult for me if I had a hundred witnesses around me to embarrass myself in front of. This is better."  
  
"But Billy..." Trini looked ready to cry. "We'll miss you."  
  
"I know," he reached for her and gave her a hug. "I'm going to miss you too. But I'll come visit often enough. Unlike you guys, I'm not tied down to a job somewhere."   
  
"You come back soon, okay?" Kimberly said through tears of both pain and joy. "I'm so going to miss you."  
  
He reached over to wipe the tears from Kim's cheeks, feeling his own eyes gather. "And this is why I don't want you to take me to the airport." He wiped his own eyes and sighed. "Besides which, you guys have to get to work soon. Don't let me keep you."  
  
"I would gladly miss work for you, buddy." Jason said reaching over to haul the slighter man close. "You take care of yourself, okay?"  
  
"Always do, Jason. And you take care of your new wife and baby."  
  
"I will."  
  
Adam looked like lost puppy as he hugged Billy. "And here I thought I'd have at least you to keep me company among the couples.  
  
"Sorry," Billy grinned and head over a small packet. "Something Tanya left for you. Take care."  
  
Adam looked at the packet with a frown. "Thanks, and you take care too."  
  
Tommy stepped up and hugged Billy fiercely. "I feel like I've done this before, only it didn't really happen the last time. You left before I got there." He pulled back to let Billy see the genuine sorrow at seeing his good friend go. "You come back to use sooner than last time, this time around, okay?"  
  
"You can bet on it," Billy nodded his head and picked up his carry-on before heading for the car. "You guys take care and I'll be back for Christmas, I promise."  
  
"And the baby's birth?" Trini prompted.  
  
"That too." Billy grinned as he pulled the door shut before rolling down the window. Sticking his head out, he waved good-bye while choking down the lump in his throat. "Besides, I think I still have a shot at being the godfather!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 6, 2004   
Sydney International Airport  
Sydney, Australia  
  
Kat took deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart as she paced the long length of windows in the terminal. Her mind was whirling faster than a whirly-gage caught in the wind. "Calm Katherine! You have to be calm. Don't frightened the boy away with your insecure self!"  
  
If she thought that banging her head against the thick glass partition would help clear her muddy thoughts, she would have. Which would probably get her in trouble with the airport security thinking she was some kind of crazed woman with a suicide wish.   
  
Throwing herself into one of the hundred uncomfortable chairs in the waiting area, she bemoaned her own fault in life. She's got to tell him, even if it meant ruining the most wonderful friendship in the world. She was always so unbelievably comfortable with him and never understood why. Now she knew, only it meant the end of that comfort.   
  
She cocked her head with curiosity as her ears picked up the soft strain of a rather familiar American song that she hadn't heard since leaving the States.   
  
People are talkin, talking 'bout people  
I hear them whisper, you won't believe it  
They think we're lovers kept under covers  
I just ignore it, but they keep saying  
We laugh just a little too loud  
We stand just a little too close  
We stare just a little too long  
Maybe they're seeing, something we don't, Darlin'  
  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love?  
  
I feel so foolish, I never noticed  
You'd act so nervous, could you be falling for me?  
It took a rumor to make me wonder  
Now I'm convinced I'm going under  
Thinking 'bout you every day  
Dreaming 'bout you every night  
Hoping that you feel the same way  
Now that we know it, let's really show it, Darlin'  
  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love?  
  
Let's give them something to talk about  
A little mystery to figure out  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love, love, love, love?  
  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love, love, love, love?  
  
Kat could have screamed with frustration if she thought she could get away with it in a terminal full of happy people set on reuniting with their loved ones. Muttering under her breath, she got up as passengers began to disembark. "The fates are mocking me now. What next? Cupid flying by sticking his tongue out at me?"  
  
"Excuse me?" A little old lady with blue hair asked sweetly.  
  
Forcing herself to smile, she shook her head. "Nothing, just excited that's all."  
  
The lady grinned in return. "Me too. My lover is coming to visit me for the next few weeks. We're going to go to the beach together."   
  
The former pink ranger stared. The lady was seventy if she was a day. Yet she held the glow of a schoolgirl on her first date. Her eyes were glowing with mischief and fun as she reached out to a little old man, who looked no younger than eighty, that came out of the gates.   
  
"Darling," the two touched cheeks and walked off, but not before the lady smiled at her. "I hope whoever you are waiting for brings you joy."  
  
Kat could only nod and stared after them. It was rather unreal.  
  
"KAT!"   
  
She whirled around and for the first time in a long time, felt the sudden glow of happiness erupt in her chest. "Billy." It was like the distance and time never happened.   
  
He enfolded her into his arms and laughed as she squeezed him too hard. "Easy there girl, I may have grown into this frame of mine but I'm no Tommy or Jason."  
  
She leaned back and studied his face that boyish charm she could never forget was still there, dancing in his eyes as he stared back her with eyes the color of a summer's clear sky. And beneath those warm orbs, she saw something familiar, but never allowed herself to recognize.   
  
"Kat?" Billy asked, feeling his heart swell slightly and skip a beat. The heated look in her eyes was making him nervous has hell.   
  
She could see the emotions and doubts flutter through the windows of his soul just before he dropped his gaze. "Billy, can you ever forgive me?"  
  
Startled, Billy pulled back, completely forgotten that they had yet to let go after their hug. "What...what are you talking about?"  
  
For Katherine Hallard, nothing could have been more obvious than his stuttering movements and the way his blue eyes averted from hers. The man had all the classic signs of being nervous as hell but putting up a brave front. "You are too good to be true, you know that?"  
  
"What?" The conversation kept changing on him and his brilliant mind was having some trouble keeping up with it all. "Kat, what are you talking...."  
  
He never got to finish.   
  
The kiss was everything either one could have dreamt of and than some. It was hotter than the surface temperature of Venus and sweeter than the first taste of spring. Neither of them notice that they were fast becoming the main attraction in the crowded airport terminal, whose hurried travelers were quite enjoying the sight of a romantic reunion between the handsome couple caught up in a moment of heated embrace. This was a true Kodak moment, something from right out of a post card.   
  
When they finally parted, it was to be greeted by a round of loud and enthusiastic applause that made both turn the color of fresh bloom red roses.   
  
Taking Billy's hand, Kat pulled him away from the prying eyes of the happy crowd who were all abuzz with appreciation.   
  
Billy thought still in a state of stunned disbelief.  
  
"Billy," she paused to say then changed her mind. "We'll talk later."  
  
Billy could only nod and follow her to the baggage claim and hoped to god he wasn't going to wake up now and find this all just a bad dream.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 6, 2004   
Katherine Hallard's Residence  
58 Pondarosa Road  
Sydney, Australia  
  
The ride from the airport to Kat's apartment had been a silent one, each quite caught up in their own thoughts to be able to keep up with a conversation.   
  
"Home sweet home," Kat announced as she pushed the door open and allowed Billy to proceed her into her little house by the beach, a gift from her mother's guilty conscious in abandoning her daughter yet again to her own device after moving back to their native lands.   
  
"It's really nice," Billy said as he set the suitcase down and relaxed for the first time since leaving New York. The plane ride had been filled with scenarios of how he was going to tell her that...   
  
The thought was never completed as Billy suddenly found himself with a warm sweet body pressed against his torso. And like any self-respecting man, he certainly wasn't going to pull away from such wonderful sensations that the close proximity was creating.   
  
She grinned broad, all her suspicions and hopes confirmed with that kiss as well as the one she pressed on him at the airport. "You have no idea how glad I am that you feel this way."  
  
It was not everyday that someone threw Billy for a loop and a half and allowed him to crash on the ground with a painful thud. "Kat... I...."  
  
There was such a glow in her heart that she laughed as she pulled him into a seat. "You know, I was agonizing over how to tell you that I think my heart has been shouting something at me since we reconnected after you hit earth again some three years ago." She dropped herself down into his lap, feeling freer than she's ever been in her own life. "I must have spent all of last night come up with all kind of scenarios as to how to tell you everything without having you fun off screaming in fear that I'm going to jump you when you're not looking." She grinned at him.  
  
Billy blushed at her blunt talk but was glad that she opened the door so quickly and easily for him to step through. "Me too, Kat. I've been so worried that you may not... well that you still had some affections for Tommy."  
  
"I do," she answered honestly. "Tommy will also be a part of my life but I think we've both realized that it was never meant to be." She shrugged her dainty shoulder. "And besides which, there's Kimberly...."  
  
"Oh how right you are on that account," Billy nodded, putting his arm around her waist, rather liking the feeling of her in his arms. "And you..."  
  
"Are so much better suited for someone that has a good ear for things," she grinned and kissed his cheek. "How about since you're here for an extended stay, we get you settled in and talk some more."  
  
"Just talk?" As Rocky or Tommy would say.  
  
"For now," she answered teasingly as she got up. "This is going to be a great new start for us, you do realize that right?"  
  
"A new start?" Billy repeated as if really concentrating on the meaning. "I believe that it is less of a new start and more of a new phase in our lives."  
  
"I agree."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 6, 2004  
Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart's House  
85236 Wellington Drive  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
The fired crackled merrily in the fireplace, an amazing feat considering Tommy was the one that started the fire. Kimberly grinned remembering his last attempt at starting a fire.   
  
"And what has put that beautiful smile on your face?" Tommy asked as he settled on the floor next to his girl with a bottle of wine and two bell-shaped wine glasses. They may be scarce in furniture for now, though that is to be rectified on Saturday, but neither of them really care on this wonderfully romantic night.   
  
She turned chocolate color eyes to him and returned his grin. "I was just thinking that life is very strange. You realized that we've lived a whirlwind of events in the past...oh... two months that was probably filled with more adventures than what most people get in a lifetime?"  
  
"Yeah," Tommy laughed remembering all the little things that mattered. "I don't think I've ever been more happier than I am right now at this very moment."  
  
The twinkle in Kimberly's eyes should have warned him that she was up to mischief. "Really?"  
  
He eyed her funny before answering rather hesitantly. "Yeah...."  
  
"So if I were to ask you to come upstairs with me right now...." She hinted at teasingly.  
  
Tommy grinned before lifting her into his arms as she squealed with laughter. "You little devil you."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
August 6, 2004  
Jason Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
The night was quiet with only the sound of softly falling rain to disrupt the peace that seemed to have settled over the world.   
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Are you happy?" Jason asked, his arms tightening only slightly on her shoulder.  
  
Trini smiled and her turned her face toward her husband of three days. "How was it that you put it once? 'Happy is a word used by fools and idiots that have never been in love.'"  
  
"Throwing my own words back at me?"  
  
"Yup," she leaned up and touched his lips gently with her own. "And yes, I'm happy."  
  
He looked at her with a mixture of wonder, love and amusement. "So we're going to live happily ever after?"  
  
"Jason, Jason, Jason..." She shook her head in mock mourning. Her eyes were like little stars that warmed his heart. "This is just the beginning."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Okay, because there was some demand for it and cause this didn't feel quite finished enough, I added an epilogue to this story. Enjoy it! 


	51. Epilogue

New Start  
By Didi  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the characters.   
  
Summary: They're all grown up and separated. Just when you thought it was all over for the old gang, fate throws them together once more.  
  
Rating: R for language and content at times.   
  
Note: I added this chapter to round things up a little cause there was still loose ends that needed to be tied up. Hope you guys enjoy it.  
  
Acknowledgements: Thank you to every wonderful reader out there that's joined me on this crazy fan fiction writing faze. You don't know how much I've enjoyed all the reviews that I've gotten. Without you all, I don't think writing this would have been half as fun nor half as exciting. So thanks again!  
~~~~~~~~~~  
Epilogue  
~~~~~~~~~~  
December 24, 2004 - Christmas Eve  
Jason and Trini Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Rocky Descantos, if you don't keep your hands off the frosting for the cake, I'm going to chop it off with this butcher knife." Trini threatened mincingly.   
  
"And who are we threatening now?" Jason asked as he came into the kitchen with an empty popcorn bowl. While waiting for Christmas Eve to trim the Christmas tree had been a rather strange idea, it certainly did make for fun occasion with all their family around. "Rocky, are you annoying my wife? Oh darling, Kimberly is out of popcorn again for the tree trimming."  
  
"Yes," Trini replied for the man that was busy protecting his hand from Trini's wrath. "Jase, get him out of here before he slows me down even more. And take the popcorn maker to the living room. It's faster."  
  
"Yeah," Kimberly agreed as she and Tommy entered to find something to drink. "But that would mean that Tommy will be eating it twice as fast due to the smell."  
  
"I'm hungry," Tommy complained.  
  
"Hey," Rocky punched the guy lightly on the arm. "That's my line, get your own."  
  
"Honey," Jason hugged his wife from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder and lovingly kissing the side of her neck. "What did the doctor say again?"  
  
"About what?" She asked innocently as she pulled the oven door open to baste the fifteen pound turkey she's got in here.   
  
"Trini!" Adam said warningly as he carried the three bottles of sparkling apple cider that Jason had sent him out to get. "You know that you're not suppose to be on your feet this long."  
  
"I'm just going to..."  
  
"I totally agree," Jason said taking the turkey baser from her hand. "Kim..." The former pink ranger caught the baster in midair. "You're going to go lay down on the couch now."  
  
"Hey!" Trini pulled herself from Jason's arm with some difficulty. "I'm not a child, I know when I need to rest."  
  
"Which is now," Adam concurred with a nod. "You've been up since dawn with the food, you need to rest more."  
  
"I got a clean bill of health."  
  
"Yes," Billy nodded as he put the grocery bags on the kitchen table, which was already ladled with food. "But the doctor also said that carrying twins with your demure stature could be very painful on your body."  
  
Trini's jaw dropped to the ground. "How did you find out? Heck, I just found out yesterday."  
  
Billy shrugged and took more bags from Kat. "Zack told me."  
  
"Zack?" She looked at the man as he came in behind Kat holding yet another bag of food, making a grand total of nine in one trip.  
  
Zack shrugged. "Rocky happened to mention it."  
  
"Aisha was the one that..."  
  
"Tanya said so."  
  
"Adam spilled first."  
  
"I got it from it from Kim."  
  
"Tommy drop it on me this morning."  
  
"Whoa there, I got it from the horse's mouth." Tommy said pointing to Jason.  
  
The former gold ranger grinned and shrugged his broad shoulders. "What? I wanted to share the news."  
  
Trini groaned and allowed Jason to usher her into the living room as the others took over the cooking of the Christmas dinner. "You're a pain the butt you know that Jason?"  
  
"I know, I know.... Now, how about you help with the trimming of the tree instead."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"And then we went out to the underbrush and there was this great big...."  
  
"You would never have believed it? The man was completely mad! If he thought for a moment that I'm some sort of...."  
  
"Hey pour some of that here so that...."  
  
"Tommy, if you get drunk, you're walking home alone."  
  
"Who would have thought it? I mean it's not like Billy and I had...."  
  
"The lights came crashing down and we thought that the noise had been just...."  
  
"Man you should have seen the look on the man's face when we put the proposal in front of him. Nearly swallowed his...."  
  
"Pass the potatoes please."  
  
"I'll get some more napkins for that."  
  
"Hey Aisha," Trini said as she pushed her plate away while Jason poured her another glass of milk. "I've been meaning to ask you something."  
  
"Ask away."  
  
"That tattoo on the inside of your left wrist, what is it?"   
  
Surprised, Aisha's right hand went immediately the mass of interconnecting swirls on her left. "Oh this... it's just a little something I picked up."  
  
"Not in Rwanda right?" already catching the attention of the many former rangers at the table, which only made Aisha squirm.  
  
"No, no. We were sent to North Africa once the Rwanda gig was over. There was a dispute over watering-hole rights and we were sent to settle it in the usual matter. I was given this there." Aisha glanced over at Tanya who appeared to be having some trouble keeping her face devoid of expression. She dared not even look at Rocky.  
  
"Oh, that's very interesting." Trini said slowly, watching Rocky, Aisha and Tanya with her legally trained eyes. None of them looked completely at ease.  
  
"Angel face?" Jason asked, his husbandly senses kicking up to high alert.  
  
"You know," Trini said quietly, studying the averted faces. "I read somewhere that there are tribes in Africa where when two people get married, they are tattooed with the same symbol as a show of unity." Tanya choked, which caught everyone's attention. "And I just thought it was rather peculiar that you and Rocky were wearing the same tattoo."  
  
Rocky winced and pulled the sleeve of his shirt over his left hand down further to hide the tattoo there, identical to the one on Aisha's wrist.   
  
"Oh my god!" Kim and Kat said at the exact same moment after a long silence.  
  
Tanya was not done coughing yet as she choked on her own laughter. "I told you that you'd never be able to get away with it."  
  
"Rocky!" Tommy stared in shock. "What in the world...."  
  
"How could you have kept this from me!" Adam asked his face lit up with both laughter and shock. "Holy cow!"  
  
As the rest of the former rangers erupted into questions, congratulations, and accusations, Jason leaned over and kiss his wife on the cheek as she sat back to watch the uproar with a serenely content smile on her face. "Happy?"  
  
She winked at him. "I love Christmas."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
February 14, 2005 - Valentine's Day  
Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart's House  
85236 Wellington Drive  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
The six-dozen pink and white roses at work had the girls at the office tittering with envy and excitement. The big limousine that picked her up after work got quite a stir. The moonlight dinner and dance on the pier was everything she could only have imagined.   
  
Now at home, in the big bed that they've shared so for many months, she wondered if her heart would burst it was so full of something so wonderful. "I love you, Tommy."  
  
Tommy traced the lines of her jaw and leaned up to kiss her again. In the moonlight, in broad daylight, under the harsh light of their Zords, she was the most beautiful thing he's ever had the pleasure witnessing. "Did you know, until I met you, I didn't believe in angels?"  
  
"Hum... you know you can stop trying to butter me up." She grinned and let her fingertips wonder over the hard muscles across his chest and arm. "At this point, I'd give you anything you want."  
  
"Really?" Lightly tracing kisses down her throat.  
  
She sighed with pleasure. "Really."  
  
He nibbled on her ears. "Even your hand in marriage?"  
  
Kimberly's hand froze in their descent. Pulling back slowly, she looked him in the eyes shocked. "What did you say?"  
  
The serious in his eyes convinced her more than anything he could have said. "Marry me."  
  
"Tommy...."  
  
"Say yes."  
  
"Tommy, I...."  
  
"Say yes."  
  
"I want to talk first."  
  
"Say yes first and then we'll talk."  
  
She laughed. "Yes."  
  
"Good," he kissed her hard on the lips. "Now you can say whatever you like for as long as you like."  
  
Kim opened her mouth to tell him of her joy, her sheer uncontainable joy. But nothing came out. Instead, she optioned for the more obvious and physical expression of her love.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
April 30, 2005  
Jason and Trini Scott's Residence  
138 Haven Ave.  
East Brunswick, New Jersey   
  
"Jason?"  
  
"Hum?"   
  
"Honey, I think it's time."  
  
"What?" his sleepy head poked out from under the covers.  
  
"I think it's time." Trini whispered for no apparent reason.  
  
"Time for what?" He asked, his brain still fuzzy with sleep. He had been up half the night making last minute adjustments to the blueprints that were scheduled to be delivered to Nevada in two days.  
  
"Jason, please wake up." She said exasperated.  
  
"I'm sorry, Angel." Jason sat up and yawned, forcing his body and mind to become alert again after only three hours of rest. "You were saying."  
  
"I was saying that I think it's time for us to go to the hospital." She explained as if to a very slow child.  
  
"Why?" The puzzlement clearly written on his face.  
  
"Jason!" She said pulled the covers back. "Hello? Pregnant wife? Twins? Contractions? Labor? Ringing any bells there, honey?"  
  
He sat there for another moment staring at her rather stupidly. "Oh my god!" Then leapt out of bed. "Okay, okay..." taking a deep breath as Trini stared at him. "No body panic now, we can go this! I'll go get your coat and the suitcase is in the hall closet. I'll call Tommy on our way in and have him pick up Aisha and Rocky tomorrow." He ran a quick hand through his hair. "God, the babies are early!"  
  
"Well the doctor did say that it's a distinct possibility."   
  
"Yes, yes but I just thought..." He rubbed his hand over his face and paled as he watched Trini wince with pain a contraction hit her. "Okay, okay, don't worry. I'll got get the car and call the doctor and..."  
  
"Jason!" Trini called after him as he made for the door.  
  
"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked in a near panic.   
  
She grinned at him. "Don't you think you should put on some clothes first, honey?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
May 1, 2005  
Maternity Ward  
Hamilton Memorial Hospital  
East Brunswick, New Jersey  
  
Tanya came around the corner at an all-or-nothing run. "Did I miss it? Did I miss it?"  
  
Zack caught her before she crashed into the wall since the newly polished floor and her traction-less shoes didn't mix too well. "No, you didn't miss it."  
  
"What's happened so far?" She asked a little out of breath and grinned at Rocky and Aisha as they came around the corner at a less dangerous pace. "We didn't miss it."  
  
"I told you we won't," Tommy said bring up the rear. "Where's my fiancée?"  
  
Adam grinned and pointed to the double doors. "In there with the mother-in-labor. I managed to talk them into letting us all get a turn at going in to see Trini at her best."  
  
"Accept for me," Zack said with a nod. "I think I'll stay here and wait until Trini's all done with her job."  
  
"Well then can I go next?" Tanya asked excitedly. "I've never seen a..."  
  
A cry of soul wrenching agony was accompanied by the sudden opening of the door was Kimberly came shooting out the labor room. With her hands over her ears, she plowed into Tommy. "I'm never having children."  
  
"Now honey..." Tommy said soothingly even though he was watching the still swinging doors with concern.  
  
"How is it going?" Aisha asked with an anxious look. "How is she doing?"  
  
Kimberly made a face. "A whole lot better than me." She shook her head as if exasperated. "I swear that woman could look dignified and beautiful when going to the guillotines. She's doing beautifully, Jason looks ready to faint every time she has a contraction, and this birth is taking too long."  
  
Adam grinned with great amusement. "It's only been a little over eight hours."  
  
"Only?!?" Aisha asked with a groan. "Rocky, we're adopting."  
  
"Come now, we can hardly..."  
  
The cry broke their train of thought, followed by another, then another...  
  
~~~~~  
  
Jason sat by his wife side and watched with fascination as his son sucked on his own thumb.   
  
"Hey, Jase." Tommy leaned over Jason's shoulder to watch the sleeping child. "Where's your daughter?"  
  
"The nurse took Allison for post-delivery check up." He answered in a low whisper, unwilling to disturb his sleeping wife. She had been so incredibly calm through the whole birthing, crying out only toward the end when the contractions were one on top another, forcing the babies out.   
  
"So you guys decided on the names already?"  
  
"I've always like Allison." He reached out and touched his son's hand gently, marveling at all those tiny perfect little fingers. "And Trini wants to name our son Andrew."  
  
"Andrew and Allison Scott," Tommy grinned. "Sounds like we have a couple of winners."  
  
"Correction my friend," he looked up at him before turning back to his son. "We have Andrew Christopher and Allison Elizabeth Scott."  
  
"Even better." He patted his best friend. "We're going to go pick up Billy and Kat from the airport then we're all going out to celebrate, you coming?"  
  
Jason took hold of Trini's limp hand and caressed it gently without answering.  
  
Tommy nodded wisely and smiled. "I understand." Then left without a word.  
  
Trini's eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him. "Hey there."  
  
"Hi Angel."  
  
The tenderness in his eyes moved her as nothing else in the world would. "Did we do okay?"  
  
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "We did beautifully."  
  
Fin...  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Okay for those of you that have been asking, there will be no sequel to "New Start." I think fifty chapters to a story is already pushing the limits, plus I would think people are sick of this story by now. But if anyone would like to take a crack at it, I won't object.   
  
As for those that asked what my next project is, well I'm happy to inform you that I've begun work on my next Power Ranger fan fiction already. Weeks before "New Start" made its debut, way back in May, I had begun a story called "Once a Ranger..." That story was never finished, and has now been taken off the web. (Don't go looking for it, I already removed it.) I'm currently reinventing the story with a little more spice. "Once a Ranger..." will be making its return debut soon and under a new name, "Keys to the Universe." So stayed tuned guys, cause like all my stories, even I don't know what's going to happen in them until the words pop out on the page. So this is going to be an adventure for me as well.  
  
And for those that have been asking/complaining, my first PR fan fiction, "What Lurks Beneath" and its sequel "The Terrorist that Stole Christmas" has been re-posted with lots of revisions so that its easier to read. Yes, yes, I went and made sure all the right words are where they should be now, though I may have missed a couple of them. Come spring, I just might revisit that universe for another story. (I have a soft place in my heart for it cause it was my first.)   
  
Anyways... thanks for listening to all my babble. And I'll see you soon.  
  
  
Didi 


	52. A Touch of Love 1 - From Chapter 20

A Touch of Love

By Didi

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just borrowing them here for my own amusement. Don't sue me 'cause I don't have any money.

Author's Note: Back by popular request, the companion piece to "New Start."

Warning: Gently edited from its original post to comply with 's non NC-17 stance. It wasn't too graphic to begin with but I wanted to be safe. If any part of this chapter offends, please PM me and I will remove it again. Don't report me… please? (I really don't want to be locked out.)

Timeline: From Chapter 20 of "New Start."

Warning: Please, always practice safe sex.

~~~~~~~~~~  
July 13, 2004  
Trini Kwan's Condo  
168 Apple Grove Drive #A  
East Brunswick, New Jersey

"Oh, you really are asking for it, aren't you?" She pulled the shirttails from his pants, digging her nails into his skin and loving the resistance his solid muscles offered. It was a crime, a real crime, for him to have such a beautiful body then have to cover it up all day; that's not to say that she wanted to share it with anyone. But still…

"I thought you said that I had a one track mind?" he wanted to know as he resisted the urge to pull her teasing hands away and simply have at her. His imagine had been working overtime lately and this was proving to be its undoing.

"And aren't you proving me right?" She couldn't stop touching him, her hands moving of its own accord.

Tommy lips curled into a feline smile that gleamed in the light as he touched his lips to hers again, making a slow decent from her lips to her neck, exposed by the few buttons that he was almost too eager to undo properly. Slowly Tommy-boy. Don't freak her out by acting like a randy teen. Though he certainly felt like one. "I'm not going to be able to stop, you know. If we go any further and there's no one around here that's likely to walk in and interrupt us tonight, so…"

Kim's eyes fluttered open, full of misty passion. "In other words, if I want you to stop now, I better say so." Her fingers came to rest on his shoulder, moving herself gently into his embrace. On any other given day, she hated being so tiny. But with him… god, she loved being so small and helpless and knowing that he with his spectacular strength would die rather than hurt her.

"That's about right," his tongue made a hot trail down her neck and over her now exposed shoulders. She tasted like springtime and honeydew. Strong hands that were use to fighting off enemies and putting bruises on bodies, held her as if she were made of crystal and would break if he handled it too roughly. "Kimberly?" asking for permission, he wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to hold onto his self control.

"Not yet," she murmured softly, feeling his warm breath on her hot skin. He was crazy if he thought she was going to stop him now. "Just one question before I answer you."

"What?" He could hear the roaring of his blood in his ears. It was going to take more than just his will power to go if she said no tonight. Oh god, please say yes.

"Do you have a condom because I certainly don't?" She said softly into his ear, taking a quick nip at his lobe.

Tommy grinned suddenly, feeling all together lighthearted now, a jolted at the unexpected attack on his ear. "Never leave home without one."

"Really?" she raised one fine brow at him in inquiry. Pulling back to catch his face, "And on how many occasions have you found the need to use an emergency condom stashed in your wallet?" She's heard of this tradition but had never actually known of anyone to practice it. Apparently, men thought differently.

It didn't take a genius to know that he was treading on thin ice. "Haven't had any need for it until now. After all, you're the only woman that I've ever meet that can make me lose my head like this."

Kim smiled with amusement feeling just a little bit flattered. "Good answer." She leaned into him again, her breath hot against his skin. "How about if we…"

"How about if we save the talking for later," he smiled and pulled her tighter against him. "Baby, you don't know what sitting here, looking at you makes me feel." He expressed it by kissing her roughly on the lips then made a beeline for her throat, his hands shifting her onto his lap where he had better access to her. He couldn't get close enough now.

"Man, aren't we just a big boy." She giggled with delight as she settled her bottom into the junction of his legs, pressing firmly down.

Tommy swore if Kimberly wiggled her rear one more time against his painful arousal, he wasn't going to be kind and considerate as he knew he should be. He was on the edge to begin with and her teasing tone and movement wasn't helping his self control at all. He groaned just as Kim skimmed the edge of his jaw with her lips, feeling the rough stubble there with delight. "Kim…" Gentle, he wanted to be gentle with her.

Kimberly was thoroughly enjoying herself now. She was in the arms of a wonderfully powerful man that was being brought to his knees by soft touches and light kisses in just the right place. Her fingers lightly touched the tan skin that she had bared for exploration. He was all hard muscles and warm skin. The scent of him reminded her of the outdoors and nature at its most gloriously peaks. God she wanted him.

Her hands were making a slow and easy search of his belt buckle while his hands tugged her blouse off its mooring and were under the shirt now, surveying soft supple muscles that told of a life time of gymnastics, closing in to settle gently on her small but perfectly shaped breasts. She was a direct contrast to him; all soft and pale, beautiful in its own way but different from his male beauty that took his breath away.

"You're so beautiful." She whispered into his ear as she touched her lips to his face again, light enough to tease, firm enough for him to know that she was really there and that this was not just another dream that would leave him wanting in the morning.

"That's supposed to be my line." He said with a smile as he nuzzled her neck, wanting more but a little afraid of taking. She was so delicate in his arms and he desperately feared that he really was rushing her into something she's not ready for. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off. The overwhelming emotion in his heart made him afraid, vulnerable. "You sure?"

She pulled slowly, her heart in her eyes. "I don't think I've ever been this sure of anything in my life."

His rough fingers touched her cheeks, feeling the softness there too. It was this face, this beautiful smiling face, that's haunted him for longer than he cared to remember. It was honest of him to say that he can't quite remember a time in his life when he didn't know her, adored her, wanted her. "I love you, you know that?"

Kimberly smiled and turned her face into his hand, loving the feel of it against her skin, his ever touch a testament of his connection to her. "You know that I've always loved you and that I always will." She pressed her lips to the center of his palm. "Love me, Tommy. Love me tonight."

He kissed her with the kind of passion she's only read about in romance novels that featured half naked men on the cover. It made the hair on her neck stand up on ends and left her feeling as if all her insides had turned to mush. It was love, at the most primitive levels, pure and wonderfully sensual.

The rest of their clothes fell away easily, each helping the other with that which covered the most important thing in their lives right at this moment. They were both eager but at the same time wanting to take the time explore that which they've only dreamed of on dark lonely nights when all they had to keep them warm was the memories of a love that was cut off all too abruptly and with reasons that both were confused and regretful for.

Tommy was careful as he held her, aware that she was a lot more fragile that she was willing for people to believe. Botticelli's Aphrodite would be ashamed to see Kimberly at her most beautiful. She was gloriously free with herself as she climbed back into his lap after she had helped him divulge himself of his clothes that hindered her touch.

Lips that were pink from many kisses tonight touched him slowly, gently, teasing a groaning response from him. She started on his lips again, down around his shoulders, across his chest, and then lower still. All the while, she touched him with feather light hands that caressed freely and eagerly.

Her eyes were smoky as she pressed her mouth to the inside of his thigh, making him jump. She held him still with her hands on his knees with just enough pressure to give him the impression that she wanted this almost as bad as he wanted her, careful to guide his movements to where she wanted him.

Closing his eyes, he sat back and allowed her to have her way with him. She was careful, touching him lightly, teasingly in all the right places, pushing him precariously close to the edge. Yet she never once touched him where he needed her the most. "Kim…"

"Sh…" her breath intimately on him was incredibly erotic and unbearable hot.

"I can't hold on for much longer, love." Tommy gasped out through half clinched teeth as her lips were moving closers and closer but never quite touching. "Please, I need…"

Kim's soft little hand came up to cover his mouth, stopping his speech even as she climbed on him, straddling his hip. "This okay with you?"

To have her there, only mere inches from where he wanted her most, he could have wept with joy. Too afraid to speak, fearing that he may embarrass himself, he nodded his head vigorously. He wasn't sure if he was capable of coherent speech at this point.

Watching him with great intent, she slowly lowered herself on to him, letting him enjoy himself with her heat. He groaned deep in his throat and she could feel the vibrations there in his chest. "Tommy, I love you."

He head snapped back at her words in time for him to see her come down on him hard, slamming into his pelvic with her hips. Some men say that the greatest aphrodisiac is the mystery of a woman. But seeing Kimberly like that, so completely without the reserve of social conduct, exposed to him in the most intimate of ways, broke what was left of his self-control.

Gripping her hips with his big hands, he helped her ride him like a wild animal. She cried out her pleasure as they came together, again and again. He took her deeply, making her his for those few moments and all eternity. They rushed up the peaks of ecstasy and crashed over it together, each pushing the other to their limits.

She collapsed on him, her passion spent and her body exhausted.

He held her to him: held on like his life depended on it. Her breath came in gulps and starts as he struggled to gather enough strength to help her up. "I think maybe we did that a little too fast."

Kim would have laughed if she had the strength to. "Maybe."

He sat there a few more moments to collect his wits about him before he gathered her more securely to his chest and got up.

"What are you doing?" Kimberly asked, wiggling in an attempt to make him put her down.

"I'm taking you to bed with me." He said quite causally as if he has always walked around naked, carrying an equally naked woman. "I don't know about you, but I would prefer the bed to this couch, as comfortable and wonderful as it is."

She was thoughtful for a moment. "True."

"Plus I would like to make love to you in an actual bed."

If she was surprised by his recovery time, she didn't show it. Instead, she sighed. "One track mind."

"Yeah, but you love me for it."

* * *

Okay, what did you guys think of that? Not too graphic but I was never very good with the love scenes. But you guys get the point and it was just a few degrees temperature higher than my usual stuff.


	53. A Touch of Love 2 - From Chapter 24

A Touch of Love 2

By Didi

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just borrowing them here for my own amusement. Don't sue me cause I don't have any money.

Author's Note: Back by popular request, the 2nd companion piece to "New Start."

Warning: Gently edited from its original post to comply with 's non NC-17 stance. It wasn't too graphic to begin with but I wanted to be safe. If any part of this chapter offends, please PM me and I will remove it again. Don't report me… please? (I really don't want to be locked out.)

Warning: Please, always practice safe sex.

Timeline: Scene from end of Chapter 24 in "New Start."

July 16, 2004

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada

"I think I may need another shower before we…" She never got to finish the sentence as Jason caught her from behind after hanging up their new purchases and stole the breath right out of her.

He backed her toward the bed, where he had every intention of spending the night there with her as he had dreamed of doing all night long as they stroll along the famous Las Vegas Strip. His hands closed over curves that were made to be held by him. He tasted the sweet apple cider she had with dinner earlier and the wonderful taste that was hers alone; the combination was intoxicating.

She felt the heat of his hands where they pushed against the blouse she wore. The silk was no weapon against the intensity of his warmth that strained to be with her. The shirt needed to be unbuttoned to be removed, but he didn't seem to want to take the time to do so. After a few good tugs, the buttons popped off and the shirt followed them to the ground. "I'll buy you another," he muttered against her lips as an apology.

His lips were doing things to her that should have been illegal even in a state where sex was sold at every street corner. The heat from his mouth threatened to burn her to the core, scorching her from the inside. And he didn't seem to want to concentrate just her mouth. Hot trails led from her cheeks to her throat where she was sure there would be a mark by morning. He suckled on her skin, his hands caressed her body, possessing her in a way that had nothing to do with just touch.

Long downward sweeps of his callous hands weakened her knees until she was left clinging to him for support in fear of falling. The bed bumped against the back of her legs and allowed him to set her down slowly, never allowing his lips to leave her body. Her clothes were in the way as he made a slow descent down the magnificent treasure that he was uncovering at a pace that should have appalled him but he was too honest with himself to care. He wanted her, and he wanted her right now.

"Jason," the whispered sound of his name on her lips made him groan against her breast, creating a vibration that went straight to her center, creating a molten pool of pleasure that had her moaning in pain. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he brought the tips of her ripen peaches to his mouth, gently but firmly suckling her.

She whimpered as an explosion of pleasure raced through her, leaving her helpless. Pleasure was so intense it was almost painful; she would have struggled against it had she any mind to struggle with.

He leaned up again to kiss her lips as she reached for the belt around his waist. After a few tugs that were doing incredible things to his hyperactive senses, she finally got it and the button of his trousers undone. It took less time for her to divulge him of his pants than it does for him to sneeze. All the while, she was doing it blind as he was unwilling to let go of her lips for her to turn her head.

"God, do you don't know what you're doing to me?" Jason murmured against her ear as his kissed her face again and again while reaching around her for the zipper of her skirt. He fumbled around, unable to find it. "I need you now. Right now!"

She was in no position to argue with him for she felt as if she had been set on fire by their combined passion. Her panting breaths attested to her need to have him. Without bothering with the shirt, she raised her knees to give herself some leverage. "Jason," and urged him forward.

All she ever needed to do was call his name. He gave up trying to find the zipper to her skirt. Instead, his hands went to her knees and moved along her thigh, hiking up her skirt as he reached for her. He didn't even bother taking the ridiculously lacy bits off; pushing the fabric aside as he sank himself into her warmth with a sharp cry. It was like opium on a wound, pleasure and pain so intermix that it was difficult to tell which was which.

She grasped. He felt big inside of her, all male hardness and heated passion that she couldn't breathe for a moment. When they were together, she always felt safe, even when the weight of him crushed her as it was doing so now. There was never the sense of fear as there had been with some of her previous lovers. Jason was big but he was gentle and kind, straight from the soul. And he was never selfish, always took care to help her find her pleasure first.

"Oh god," she gasped as he moved within her, slow strokes that drove her beyond the realm of coherent thought. "Jason…"

He silenced her with his lips again. Of all the dates he's been on, all the women he's been with, all the kisses he's experienced, nothing compared to the taste of her. She tasted of heaven and stars, like the drops of Jupiter in that old song she liked. His heart felt so full of something wonderful for her that it threatened to choke him. She completed him, made him feel like conquering the world for her. It was something he had never felt before and was certain that he would never find again.

Her fingers clutched at his shoulders; digging into his muscles through the shirt he still wore. Her body fitted itself to his has if it had been made to be with him: only him.

He couldn't get enough, there was no room between them but he couldn't get enough of her. The scent of her clouded his senses. Her touch fired his passion. The sound of her voice as she urged him on drove him over the edge of sanity.

"Trini," he surged deeper, feeling all the muscles around him contracting hard and ready for the final burst. "I love you." Then fell into oblivions as she screamed his name.

* * *

Short but you get the point. Now go read about the morning after in Chapter 25.


End file.
